Cablebabble
July 31, 2008
Gizmodo’s got a cute article on the myriads of cables out there and what you’re supposed to do with them. Nice reference (although I’m pretty sure they got at least one photo wrong) but what I like most is the opening photo.
Intelligent Kiln Project: Genesis
July 29, 2008
So what if your kiln was smart? (Gosh, this sounds like a GE commercial)
But… what if your kiln really was smart? What if it sensed things happening during a firing, analyzed and decided on a course of action, then responded appropriately?
Would that make a difference in the way you fire glass? The time it takes? The way you construct molds or assemble the glass? In your firing success rates? The amount of glass you could fire at one time? Would it allow you to discover (and potentially auto-correct) a problem that occurs during firing? Most important, would it make a difference in what you can fire?
Do your counters glow in the dark?
July 28, 2008
Here’s a kinda gloomy thought: You work and save and rack up multimonths of angst and near-bankruptcy to give your kitchen one of those homeshow makeovers…only to discover that you’ve got your very own Manhattan Project.
Read a story in the old grey lady about the increasing tendency of granite countertops, especially the really unusually beautiful ones, to emit not only radon but also radiation. Turns out they can contain stuff like uranium, and the EPA is getting a tad concerned. My favorite quote from the article: “It’s not that all granite is dangerous, but I’ve seen a few that might heat up your Cheerios a little.”
Imagine: Now you can cook your steak right on the counter! And when it’s done, don’t light those candles; just turn off the lights and eat by the romantic light of your kitchen countertops. Look at all the energy you’ll save!
Gee. Kinda gives “green living” a whole new meaning, doesn’t it?
Koji Osakaya (Japanese)
July 27, 2008
- Restaurant website
- Location: Northeast (Lloyd Center)
- Price to fill up two people: About $40
My cousins and I hit up “Dark Night,” the new Batman movie on Sunday night. (As an aside, it was pretty violent and also pretty good, if a tad preachy.) Afterwards, we stood outside the cinema, blinking in the bright light, and tried to figure out where to go for dinner.
In true gadgeteer fashion I whipped out my PDA, activated Google Maps and searched for restaurants within walking distance. Koji looked the best of the lot, so we headed over that way. And in fact, there was a lot to like about it.
For one thing, there was this really cool hot sake machine in the corner that was fun to watch. For another, the selection was nice and the food was good. Jeff had a bowl of noodles while Robyn and I went to town on the sushi. Most all of it was good. They started miso soup; I had my favorite sunomono (vinegared cucumber salad with a topping of steamed shrimp and cress), and it was not only good but probably TOO substantial.
I wouldn’t say it was knock-your-socks-off memorable, but it was above average, workmanlike Japanese food at a fairly reasonable price. If you’re in the neighborhood, it’s worth a try.
Museum of Beauty
July 27, 2008
Probably no surprise that whenever I find an intersection between art and technology, I’m fascinated. Konica Minolta’s advertising the “Museum of Beauty” on websites right now, and I gotta admit it’s one of the best commercials for a supergadget that I’ve seen in a long time. (They’re hawking a no-touch digitizer)
Give it a look if you get a chance, and make sure you’ve got the sound on. There’s a pretty effective marriage of music and motion that adds to the experience.
Selling babies
July 26, 2008
First of all, I’ve never really thought of myself as sentimentalist. Sure, I sometimes sob at tearjerker chickflicks. And a cracking good animation or a sublimely elegant algorithm or hardware that really IS “plug and play” or somebody just being nice for no good reason or truly amazing or content-rich art invariably results in leaky optics. And maybe I get a little misty eyed at certain scents or songs or…
OK, I’m as sentimental as all get-out. My creative side, however, is about as sentimental as a rock. A cold, hard, cash-on-the-barrelhead, businesslike rock.
Burnoutting
July 25, 2008
The elevator took a very long time. I debated taking the stairs instead, but the conversation behind me was too fascinating. (And yes, I’m a shameless eavesdropper. Ex-journalist; what do you expect?)
Mammarian musings
July 24, 2008
(Warning: Squeamish waters ahead if you’re the type who avoids intimate girl gabs)
They say a skillful beater can pound and pound on an ounce of pure gold until it’s so thin that it can cover an entire church dome.
Obviously, they borrowed that concept for mammograms.
“Are you trying to cover the whole damn cathedral?” I gasped, through gritted teeth. The mammo technician checked the current state of my breast as it tried to spread molecularly thin between two flat plates. “Not quite thin enough,” she grinned and impishly cranked some more.
My breast closely resembled a cheese pizza. Thin crust. [Read more]
Glassists, and all that
July 24, 2008
You know what I love about the glass community? They’re so bloody generous.
As I’ve said ad nauseum, my kiln died. (Well, c’maaaaaaan–that kiln’s been a constant companion for the last five years. Not having one handy is almost as unsettling as losing a mobile phone, which probably says something about my gadget jones.)
Scooter love
July 23, 2008
The old man opened the trunk, and hauled out what looked like a lawn mower chassis. He set it on the ground, reached into the trunk again, and pulled out a padded seat. He attached it to the chassis and one of those powered chair scooter things began to take shape.
He was dressed in a starched white shirt and knife-creased grey slacks, head crowned with a black fedora, not exactly mechanic’s wear. But he fiddled for awhile putting the scooter together, then hooked on a steering column and pulled the chair around to the passenger’s side of the bright red Buick. As he did, the door swung wide and an enormous old lady swung one foot out of the car. He positioned the scooter, just so, dropped the steering column to the ground, and stood back, carefully facing away from her.