I’ve reached a place in my life where I don’t want to learn one more stoopidly designed interface. Take the Shoretel phone system…please. (Although it’s a big improvement over Rolm phones). Former Wired editor and technology guru Kevin Kelly explains that the technology we need most is not necessarily the technology that’s available today. Instead,…
Tapirs, with their prehensile snouts, are by far my favorite ungulate. Who knew that today is World Tapir Day? I wish I was more prepared. Via BoingBoing
This week’s big iPhone news was that the device tracks your every move and stores it on your PC when you synch with iTunes. The discovery of this location tracking freaked out a bunch of people including Al Franken who is demanding an explanation from Apple. Franken is concerned that unauthorized snoops could easily discover…
Jason Kottke calls his blog a wunderkammer, a cabinet of curiosities. Spare and minimalist in design, with only one banner ad, Kottke’s blog is populated with just a few short posts every day. Topics range from typography to children’s books, design, cooking, soccer and interesting technology. For somebody who clearly has a very strong sense…
Here’s your cute baby goat fix for the day. Via BoingBoing
In the same glorious tradition of How Many Five Year Olds Could You Take in a Fight, The Oatmeal asks “How Long Could You Survive After Kicking a Bear in the Balls?” I found the streetfighting quiz slightly more informative. Better still is the Bear Attack Survival Guide from the Art of Manliness. Via The…
In honor of National Park Week, Chimani is offering free downloads of their popular National Park smartphone guides. They have a selection of apps for both iPhone and Android. The Android apps, usually $4.99 are discounted to 99¢ but they also have free “Lite” versions. Kerry Gallivan, founder of Chimani, says that his company’s guides…
Here’s an excellent, free downloadable first aid resource designed for ships at sea where there is no doctor present. As expected, it is mostly aimed toward the seafarer, but much of the advice could be used in any type of expedition. Fishermen are particularly prone to infections of the hands and fingers because of their…
There’s nothing like a book to take you into different worlds, experience different lives and in the doing learn something about yourself. Here’s a list of offbeat books by some very worthwhile authors, including one who lives to chase animals: The wildly various stories in Running After Antelope are connected and illuminated by a singular…
This week I’m going to pay close attention to, and maybe even blog in the style of, Jason Kottke. Kottke once held the #80 spot in the Technoratti Top 100 blogs. He’s dropped in standings but remains a remarkable blogger owing to his highly interesting posts and sparse, minimalist presentation. Kottke is currently working on…
For the past week I’ve been following sci-fi writer Cory Doctorow as he posts on BoingBoing. Here’s what I’ve learned: 1. Be prolific. Doctorow posts anywhere from eight to sixteen posts a day. 2. Use pictures. Doctorow almost always includes a picture and he’s meticulous about the attribution. 3. Quote the material. A fair use…
The Boy Scouts of America has joined with NASA to introduce a Robotics Merit Badge, part of the BSA’s emphasis on science and technology. The Robotics merit badge is part of the BSA’s new curriculum emphasis on STEM: science, technology, engineering, and math. The BSA focus on STEM takes a fun, adventurous approach to helping…
The state of Maine has legalized switchblades for amputees. Backers of the measure say legalizing switchblades would eliminate a need for one-armed people to be forced to open folding knives with their teeth in emergencies. The state of Maine has legalized switchblade knives for people with one arm via BoingBoing
For my money Collodi’s The Adventures of Pinocchio is one of the most marvelous books ever written. Full of dry wit and dark humor, much of which is lost on children, the story is a developmental cautionary tale. For children the take-away is “see what happens when you don’t listen to your conscience” but for…
I’ve heard this before – that humans, like bears, were meant to squat in the woods. But finding the proper bathroom posture is danged inconvenient. It means going outdoors with a trail shovel and bundle of “quail tickets” or leaving sneaker prints on the potty seat. All the other tips featured by this article in…
