bookofjoe

BehindTheMedspeak: Consumer Reports rates health information websites

Elizabeth Agnvall wrote an absolutely superb article about the nation's top tester of things consumer–related and its entrance into the health care arena for the June 21 Washington Post.

I was very surprised — and delighted — when last evening I found the article link is still good after nearly four months.

In her story Agnvall reported that Consumer Reports WebWatch has begun rating the 20 most–trafficked health–related websites.

The WebWatch ratings give each site the familiar Consumer Reports circle–style symbol (top) for excellent, very good, good, fair or poor.

Here's a link to a sidebar to her story, which listed each of the 20 sites rated along with a direct link to each.

Long story short — six sites were rated excellent:

• WebMD

• National Institutes of Health

• MayoClinic.com

• MedicineNet.com

• KidsHealth.com

• Medscape (sponsored by WebMD)

Penguin Soda Maker

Lets you make a liter of soda pop in the comfort and privacy of your own home.

No electricity or batteries needed so it's perfect when the power goes out or you're on the road.

1) Push a button and carbonation is injected into the water in a special bottle

2) Add your choice of soda mix (Root Beer, Lemon Lime, Ginger Ale, etc.)

3) Shake

4) Serve

Prefer unadulterated seltzer?

Just leave out the soda mix.

You get a starter kit with four carbonators, two carafes and 18 mix packets (each makes a one–liter bottle of soda) for... (Big Gulp!) $299.99 here.

Hands–Free Snowball Maker

Well, OK, I fudged a bit.

You still have to use your hands — they just don't touch the snow.

Nor need your mittens or gloves either if you've got one of these handy Sno–ballers.

From the website:

Keep gloves dry and hands warm, while turning out huge numbers of snowballs with the Sno–baller™.

It will make up to 60 snowballs per minute and produces geometrically perfect snowballs that burst on contact.

They'll probably fly better too due to their superior aerodynamic profile.

But I must say that I don't think many people could keep up a pace of one per second, as the ad copy notes, for very long.

At long last the melon baller exits the kitchen space.

$19.95 for two (because what's the point of snowballs without a snowball fight?) here.

Jafari the giraffe is dead

On Saturday, October 8 I reported on the unprecedented surgery carried out on Jafari (above, left), an African giraffe who would have been 3 years old this December, by a team at the National Zoo in Washington, D.C. to remove a grapefruit–sized tumor from his head.

The giraffe took a turn for the worse yesterday, 11 days following his surgery, and was put to death by zoo veterinarians.

The zoo grounds were closed two hours early yesterday so Jafari could be given a lethal injection in the outdoor yard at the Elephant House.

Jafari had made the Elephant House, where visitors could note his 13–foot height, his home.

He had been out and about as recently as Saturday, said zoo spokesman John Gibbons, but then his condition worsened.

He appeared disoriented yesterday and began walking in circles.

Jafari was born at the Bronx Zoo in New York.

Jafari's death leaves the zoo with one giraffe, a 3–year–old male named Randall (pictured on the right above).

Origarment Shoe

I.D. magazine asked, "Is it a prototype or product?"

It concluded, "No matter."

Me too.

London–based designer Marie O'Connor created a shoe inspired by origami.

It's a flat, oddly–shaped piece of leather that springs into shape with the pull of a zipper.

World's best travel shoe, that's for sure.

The designer added Braille lettering to the bottom both as a "hidden message" and as a grip for footing.

O'Connor's latest work, "playing on her constant obsession with ephemera, motion, collage and clothing,"

is on display in a show now up (through next Sunday, October 23) at The Lighthouse in her native Glasgow, Scotland.

I had the new crack research team see if the Origarment shoe was for sale and they found it was — once.

Evisu manufactured it.

Back on February 20 (scroll about 3/4 way down the site) of this year a UK site had it for sale in red (below),

black or fig for £79.

But when we tried to buy a pair we got some error message.

So.

Actually, as I reflect, it's not too bad an effort by my new crew.

We'll see how long this bunch lasts.

.travel is now live

.travel is a top–level domain intended for businesses and individuals involved in the travel industry.

Airlines, theme parks, restaurants, tourism offices, tour operators, B&Bs and the like are eligible to acquire one.

Huh.

Amusement parks would appear to be theme parks.

Once in a while — or so I've been led to believe — someone chuckles at something in bookofjoe.

Does that qualify me as an amusement?

joe.travel — I like it.

It says somewhere in all the boilerplate here that a .travel name costs $240 for two years.

ICANN appointed New York–based Tralliance Corporation to be the administrator of the new domain but the company won't be doing credit or criminal background checks to verify who's signing up.

Qualified companies and individuals have been able to register for a .travel domain name for some months now but only on October 3 did their domains go live and become useable.

Emoticons Mouse Pad

Over 100 emoticons to help you express yourself.

There might even be some you don't know.

Measures 10" square; $10.95 here.

jargol.com — 711 of the best independent stores in 108 cities around the world

Terri Sapienza wrote about this website in yesterday's Washington Post.

Ara Anjargolian, 24, launched it last year.

It's organized by city, then neighborhood.

Descriptions of each store's wares, hours, types of payment accepted and return policies.

Sapienza noted that for residents of a city the site may not offer any surprises, "But for those new to town, this site is a useful primer — and the guides to cool shops in other cities, great to have on hand for your next weekend getaway."

Episode I've Lost Count: The search for a decent bedtime reading light continues with the Verilux Natural Spectrum® Book and Travel Light

This one came in Saturday evening via express mail from Aspasia Phuket in Thailand.

Well, let's see what it's got to offer — from the website:

See clearly and comfortably without disturbing others with this palm-sized, full spectrum book light.

With its extra-wide 2 ½" Cold Cathode bulb, the cool-burning Verilux Book & Travel Light gives you the glare-free illumination you need to evenly light the surface of your book, menu or desktop.

Two brightness levels let you adjust the light for reading and precision detail work.

Its first-in-class power suite means you can use 2 regular AA batteries, 2 Ni-MH or Ni-Cd AA rechargeable batteries supported by the built-in battery charger, or you can even draw power from your computer with the included self-coiling USB cable.

Book clip; self–supporting base; unique 2–point hinge system; swivel head.

Measures 3.5"H open/1.1"H closed x 3.19"W x 3.38"D.

Weighs 2.2 oz (without batteries).

$24.95 here (batteries not included).

[via AW]