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Front View - Exact power adapter needed for Lufthansa Business Class Seat Power Port

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A few nice doing business as images I found:


Front View - Exact power adapter needed for Lufthansa Business Class Seat Power Port
doing business as
Image by Wayan Vota
On Lufthansa B747-400 Business Class seats there is a 100V AC power outlet. Yet the outlet is not a standard depth, so normal laptop or other electronic device power plugs do not always work.

As advised by the Purser, the only adapter that will work is this the Wonpro WA-9A adapter - its pins are 3/4 inch or 19 mm long and can reach the electricity source in the power outlet.

See related pictures of this WonPro adapter


Coup de Entourage?
doing business as
Image by Ezra.Wolfe
First, let me express my admiration of the design and quality of this paint job. The downward slanting backdrop and headline give a feeling of motion that is fitting for a step van. The orange and black with red accent create strong contrast that you can't miss. When I first saw it I thought that Entourage was doing some tour on the Penn campus and turned to look for Vince and Turtle.

Secondly, what the hell is this? What happened to Coup de Taco? (see their earlier paint job here: www.flickr.com/photos/ezraw/4298284505/in/set-72057594077...). I hope it was a financial crisis, because that's about the only way I could forgive such an affront to my (and hopefully the public's) esthetic expectations for food trucks and the relationship they have with the neighborhoods in which they do business.

If you look through my step van set (www.flickr.com/photos/ezraw/sets/72057594077391068/with/4...) what you might notice is that the lunch truck step van is an expression of identity for this unusual category of small business. The emphasis in nearly all non-delivery fleet step vans is on individuality, often shown using typography or color. Even those who choose not to paint their vans have customized them in ways that are unique.

The step van food truck is the rare business that comes with two huge signs out front that can be painted however the owner likes. I don't even think zoning has any say. Most owners take advantage of this to create a visual identity. A food truck "brand." Since all step vans are nearly the same size and shape, there's really no other way to do this. For example, see Rami, right next door serving middle eastern food (www.flickr.com/photos/ezraw/4298271579/in/set-72057594077...) or Suzi with the chef's face drawn on the side (www.flickr.com/photos/ezraw/3168385047/in/set-72057594077...) or bright pink Denise's (www.flickr.com/photos/ezraw/3086759419/in/set-72057594077...) or the recently famous cupcake lady running Philadelphia Buttercream ( www.flickr.com/photos/ezraw/4508902913/in/set-72057594077... ).

To change identities so suddenly and dramatically is to invite confusion and possibly alienate customers by removing a familiar signpost of their daily routine. No to mention, and possibly most importantly, how could anyone possibly know what the Entourage truck sells? Only if you look carefully can you see the Coup de Taco logo is hiding out in the bottom left.

Third. It's boring. You could put this on a billboard and I wouldn't look twice.

There's almost no difference between the experience I have with a truck like this and a portable sign board truck like this: www.flickr.com/photos/jag9889/3457265350/. Both are totally unrelated to what's happening inside and insult the neighborhood around it. At least the sign board truck moves along. Coup de Taco seems to say, "I care so little about my relationship with the neighborhood that I'm willing to risk it for money."

At least the sign truck and billboard declare their commercial intent up front. "Look at me, i'm an advertisement," they say. "See me for what I am." But this lunch truck fooled us. It said, "I'm a taco van, I'll park here every day, and we can have a relationship. I'll be a part of the neighborhood and you can eat here too." But then we wake up one morning to hear, "Oh no, wait, sorry, I'm also an advertisement for an HBO show. But I'm not leaving either. Sorry you had a some romantic notion about me respecting you. Just keep looking at Ari and buying tacos and we'll get along fine."

So, should we boycott Coup de Taco for this slap in the face of visual step van vernacular? For me, it's a moot point as I don't work near it, and it's usually not open when I pass by, so I've never eaten there. Also, as a partner in a small business myself, I wouldn't want to damage the income of the owner, who certainly seems like a nice guy (his blog: coupdetaco.wordpress.com/). But I certainly would understand if someone did. That said, part of the appeal and identity of Philadelphia for me is the crazy melange of signs and storefronts all over town. I would never want to squelch that fire, nor the choice of each business person to do what he or she wants with their exterior, but I sure would hate it if we all ended up with signs like these on food trucks all over town.

Can't wait until this is gone and we see the old Coup de Taco back soon.

PS, I got a close look last night, and this is a vinyl vehicle wrap, which is actually pretty cool and nearly invisible unless you look very closely. Would be interesting to see vans put these on and change up designs every year.


Despite the party-style enivornment people are working, deals are getting done & there are winners and losers. It's the end of business as usual.
doing business as
Image by Kris Krug
Brian Solis

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