bookofjoe

Limberthing and George Monbiot

Last evening while I was noodling around, doing something close to nothing — but different than the day before — I happened on a new blog (it just started yesterday, in fact) called Limberthing.

What caught my eye was the list of links (top).

Me and George Monbiot.

Now that's interesting, says I to myself.

Perhaps a bit of investigation was in order.

Turns out George Monbiot is a best-selling author, weekly columnist for the Guardian and veteran investigative reporter.

You could look it up.

I'm flattered indeed to be placed in such select company.

Pet Murphy Bed — Episode 2: Price Break

I guess it depends on whether you rely on me or the New York Times for your information, the direction the break takes.

Consider that when I first featured this device, back in Episode 1 on March 14, 2006, it was selling for $199.95.

Then yesterday, in Marianne Rohrlich's "Currents" feature in the New York Times, there it was again — but now marked up to $249.99.

I rousted my crack research team from its collective stupor and put them on the scent: lo and behold, they found the original site I'd featured seems to have had a bit of difficulty unloading its inventory, so much so it's slashed its original price 30% to $139.95.

Get 'em while they're hot. Not.

Like I said, you can rely on me — or the New York Times.

How to watch a DVD on a Mac laptop on a nuclear submarine

Just in earlier today from a member of my local Mac users group, the following:

Invert Laptop Screen?

A Navy friend of mine recently posed this query.... Is there a way to get the screen on an Apple laptop to display upside-down? Apparently when underway on a submarine, it's common practice to strap a DVD player to the bunk above for easier watching. Most portable DVD players will flip the screen to accomodate such usage.

I don't recall ever seeing anything like that in the OS, and some googling didn't turn up any third-party programs. Anybody have any thoughts?

A few hours later this appeared, from another member:

Invert Laptop Screen?

Googling for "Mac screen rotate" returns the following hit:

"There's a somewhat hidden feature in Mac OS X 10.4 that allows you to rotate any monitor in increments of 90 degrees": http://www.bombaydigital.com/arenared/2005/5/29/2

A few hours later another person chimed in as follows:

Invert Laptop Screen?

It's on my "Display System Prefs" without having to invoke the option key....

Any-Angle Drill Attachment

Takes the nifty right-angle converter to the next level.

From the website:

Any-Angle Drill Attachment

Makes Drilling in Tight Spots a Breeze

You won’t be limited to just right angles with this Any-Angle Drill Attachment.

In fact, you won’t be limited at all.

The spherical head is separated into halves: one half is attached to the drill chuck, and the hex shank is attached to the other.

With each half moving independently, you can dial in an infinite number of combinations to reach even the tightest spots.

Compatible with 3/8” or larger drills: keyless chuck accepts bit shanks up to 3/8” in diameter.

You can also use sanding, grinding or buffing drill attachments for even greater utility.

....................

$39.99 (drill not included).

Things that make me go "hmmm...."

Look at the picture above.

What do you see?

Now look at the picture below.

The one at the top featured in yesterday's (January 4, 2007) 3:01 p.m. post.

The second one almost did.

Why is that?

Why would I choose one of these seemingly identical pictures over the other?

Very simple — to me.

The lower one has a 1-pixel-wide contrasting border.

That's the original.

I noticed the border just as I was rechecking the post for the umpteenth time before putting it up.

And I groaned as I always do that I'm saddled with this perfectionism that won't tolerate that 1-pixel border around pictures, such that if you looked back closely over the past year's posts you'd be hard-pressed to find one.

Before that I wasn't as particular but once I realized bookofjoe looked cleaner without the contrasting borders I eliminated them as a matter of style policy.

That sort of finicky — some might say ridiculously so — attention to detail is hard-wired into my approach to things.

Good for an anesthesiologist — but a royal pain in the butt for a blogger putting up eight illustrated posts 365 days a year.

Contrast me with Clarence Darrow, who as a boy had to work in his father's chair factory and was assigned to paint the chairs.

You can always tell a genuine Clarence Darrow chair by the fact that the bottom is unpainted: young Clarence so hated his work that he expedited it via that shortcut.

What is it?

Answer here this time tomorrow.

Stars Without Makeup

Refreshing reality check.

86 picture-packed pages of movie stars

and their ilk sans mascara et al.

From the top down: Jessical Alba, Julia Roberts, Adriana Lima and Laeticia Casta.

Thomas Pink Mogul Shirt

Note the specially made cigar compartment sewn into the front pocket, which is box-pleated so it will lie flat when you're not carrying.

In Pink or White.

$195 At Thomas Pink's 520 Madison Avenue location in New York City; $165 at the store at 1127 Connecticut Avenue NW in Washington, D.C.

[via Deidre Woollard and Luxist]