bookofjoe

Don't even think about it

The February 17 issue of Science magazine contained a most interesting paper by Ap Dijksterhuis and colleagues from the Department of Psychology at the University of Amsterdam in the Netherlands.

Long story short: when you're making an important decision you're probably better off not weighing the possiblities but instead going with your gut.

It's called the "deliberation–without–attention" hypothesis and is gaining increasing traction in the decision theory mind space.

You can read more about this seemingly contrarian advice here, here and here.

Dijksterhuis said, "Your brain is capable of juggling lots of facts and possibilities at the same time when you let it work without specifically thinking about the decision."

Sounds an awful lot like a quantum computer to me.

Loran Nordgren, a co–author, said, "Conscious thought should not be relied upon in big or complex decisions. In this sense, conscious thought is like a flashlight. It can clearly illuminate a particular piece of information. But, as the information becomes more complex, conscious thought can focus only on a subset of the information, and this can lead to bad decisions."

Perhaps emotions are the the most powerful decision making tools we own — we only need to learn to trust them and, in effect, ourselves.

Easier said than done.

Stealth Paper Towel Holder

Paper towel holders abound: many types and styles purport to combine form + function into dispensing perfection while gracing the kitchen space.

As of this moment there is only one such device which is bookofjoe–approved as being as perfect as it can be for what it's intended to do.

This dispenser (below)

was the subject of an extended examination and discussion on September 22, 2004 that need not be rehashed here.

Just this morning in the mail came a catalogue with a paper towel holder I hadn't seen before (top).

From the website:

Rolls won't shred or slip off.

Sleek yet roomy brushed stainless steel holder fits both regular and jumbo rolls of paper towels.

Secure center post and non–skid rubber base.

6"Dia. x 11"H.

$29.99.

If you'd prefer to go with the official bookofjoe paper towel holder, you can buy one for £18.95 ($33; €28) here.

[via Shawn Lea and everythingandnothing]

ListOfOnlineGames.com

As of yesterday there were 3,679 games available to lay waste to what remains of your day.

My SO bad....

w00t!

Instant Screened Room — Episode 2: The annoyance that won't go away

Just last week, on February 20, I featured this nifty concept and I must admit I was unprepared for the onslaught of your comments, mostly scoffing and dismissive, regarding the device.

Well.

My response to dismay and annoyance on the part of others is generally that of the person who simply doesn't get it: I come back with more of the same, hoping to turn up the volume.

So get ready 'cause if you disliked last week's iteration (below)

you're gonna have some choice words for this latest, far more upscale model (top).

From the website:

Instant Screened-In Room

So compact it can be easily carried over the shoulder, this enclosure pops open instantly thanks to its patented twist-and-fold system, transforming into a screened-in room with over 500 cubic feet of space, large enough to comfortably accommodate up to eight adults.

The room has polyester mesh sides and a covered roof to shield you from insects while allowing breezes to pass through.

The room can be secured to the ground with the 10 stakes and four 12' ropes that are included.

When its time to stow it away, the spring-steel frame folds in six easy steps.

A nylon carrying case is included.

Opened: 8' H x 8' W x 8' D.

Closed: 5" H x 36" W x 38" L.

Weighs 23 lbs.

$119.95.

10 More Quotes That, On Occasion, May Prove Useful

See one, do one, be one.

The bleeding always stops.

It was over before it started.

Look at it in a quantum light.

Money is frozen desire. [James Buchan]

Coincidence is a glimpse of the scaffolding of reality.

The more you know, the less you need. [Australian Aboriginal saying]

A good surgeon never says "oops"; he says, "there." [Wiley F. Barker, M.D.]

A client's story never sounds better than the first time you hear it. [Unknown lawyer]

Love is giving something you don't have to someone who doesn't exist. [Jacques Lacan]

Your Extreme Makeover? — Meet Bobbi Brown

Tomorrow afternoon (Wednesday, March 1) on the third floor of Bloomingdale's on 59th Street in New York City, Bobbi Brown (above) "will let you in on her secrets to looking and feeling your prettiest."

Hey, don't get your baggies in a twist: I'm just reporting what I read in Sunday's New York Times ad heralding her "meet & greet."

More from Bobbi:

I believe that beauty comes in all colors, shapes and sizes.

Women are beautiful at every stage of their lives, from their teens to their eighties and beyond.

Looking your best is simple and achievable — it takes a few easy steps and the right products.

Well?

Says the ad, "Bobbi's makeup pros will treat you to a complimentary makeup lesson and a face chart customized with your own perfect hues."

The legendary Way Bandy once remarked, "The harder a woman works to hide a flaw, the more she draws attention to it."

This has been proven true — at least to me — so many thousands of times I've long since lost count.

Not that I was counting.

Anyhow, if you want Bobbi and her krew to create a new you, well, you can't just sashay in and expect to be served: make an appointment by calling 212-705-3341 or 212-705-2055.

Feel free to tell them I sent you but I must tell you up front, I don't think it will have a whole lot of influence on the outcome.

Ya never know, though.

Grace Slick and her homeys knew all this back in the 60s; sometimes it just takes a while for the message to get through.

MonsterPod Stick–On Digital Camera Tripod

Jefferson Graham, in yesterday's USA Today story called it the "big red slop."

MonsterPod (above and below) is a gooey substance with a tripod slot that you can attach to anything — brick, wall, tree, doorknob, even the business end of an upside–down golf club.

True.

Kelly Turner featured the new device on yesterday's Macworld.com blog.

Wrote Turner, "The $30 MonsterPod has no telescoping legs, clamps or straps. It sticks to surfaces via a 'viscoelastic morphing polymer' — if that means as little to you as it does to me, imagine a giant wad of extra-sticky Silly Putty."

Here's the Macworld article:

Stuck On You

There’s something about seeing a digital camera stuck to the business end of a golf club that really grabs your attention — especially if that golf club comes dangerously close to your person.

"See, it doesn’t come off even if I hold it upside down," brags Tyler Byrd while jabbing the club somewhat precariously into the passing crowd at Sunday's Photo Marketing Association (PMA) convention in Orlando, Florida.

Tyler is the younger member of a father-and-son team that has invented a sort of anti-tripod called the MonsterPod.

The $30 MonsterPod has no telescoping legs, clamps, or straps. Instead, it sticks to surfaces via a "viscoelastic morphing polymer" — if that means as little to you as it does to me, imagine a giant wad of extra-sticky Silly Putty.

MonsterPod sticks to almost anything that has a hard surface; in addition to the golf club, I watched it stick to the side of a piece of wood (shown at the top), the underside of a table, and a metal pole.



The MonsterPod attaches to the tripod mount on a compact digital camera (because of weight concerns, MonsterPod's makers don’t recommend using it with an SLR or other large-body camera) and can be molded to fit almost any form.

Want to stick it on a doorknob?

No problem.

The beauty of the MonsterPod lies in its versatility.

How many times have you wanted to take a low-light photo or to use the self timer (to get yourself in the shot), but couldn’t find a flat surface to set your camera on?

With this, all you need is something at the right height — for example, the back of a chair, a fence railing, or even a column.

Plus, it's compact enough that you can easily carry it around with you—it's 1.75 inches tall, 4.5 inches wide, and weight 6 ounces.

Just don’t leave it stuck somewhere public for too long, or you get an unpleasant visit from the bomb squad.

********************

"Guaranteed to double the number of pictures with you in the picture."

In Hot Pink, Aqua Blue, Blood Red, Sunny Yellow, Bat Black, Orange Peel or Purple Monster.

$30 (camera not included).