bookofjoe

Helpful Hints from joeeze: Polishing steel

"A simple and inexpensive way to remove rust from and polish steel surfaces by hand is to rub it with aluminium foil dipped in water. The aluminium foil is softer than steel, and will not scratch the surface. As heat is generated by rubbing friction, the aluminium will oxidize to produce aluminium oxide. Aluminium has a higher reduction potential than iron, and will therefore leach oxygen atoms away from any rust on the steel surface. Aluminium oxide is harder than steel, and the microscopic grains of aluminium oxide produced creates a fine metal polishing compound that smoothes the steel surface to a bright shine."

[via Speed Shop Design and Frankie Flood]

StudyBed

Q. What is a StudyBed?

A. A StudyBed is a clever variation on a Wall Bed.

Concur.

But wait — there's more!

From the website:

•••••••••••••••••••••••

It combines a full-size bed with a very large desk and converts quickly and easily in just a few seconds without the need to remove any items off the desk nor any of the bedding.

It is free-standing, very robust and designed for everyday use.

It is a clever neat solution to making the most of confined living space and is perfect for that room that needs to be used as both a study and a bedroom.

•••••••••••••••••••••••

Perfect for the blood-on-the-lips law firm junior associate: why sleep under your desk when you can sleep on it?

"As seen on ITV" so you know it must be good.

£1,150–£1,395.

[via Milena]

'Goldberg Variations' on marimba — Pius Cheung

The young Chinese-Canadian virtuoso has produced what is said to be the first-ever recording of Bach's piece for marimba.

He wrote that the work is "incredibly difficult" to play on the instrument.

Vivien Schweitzer, in her story in today's New York Times about Cheung and his accomplishment, wrote that "... he surmounts the contrapuntal hurdles and offers a stylish, deeply expressive interpretation notable for its clear voicing, eloquent phrasing and wide range of color and dynamics."

Visual Acuity Chart for those with copyright issues

33.1"H x 23.6"H.

Made in Russia.

Ironic, that.

$11.54.

BehindTheMedspeak: Tanorexia — Episode 2: Tanophilia

A recent comment by Frank Fitton on Episode 1 (August 30, 2005) led me to revisit it.

In the course of doing so I realized the word "tanorexia," used colloquially to describe an addiction to tanning, is not the correct word for this compulsion.

As noted in the earlier post, "The word 'tanorexia' has Greek roots; the word 'anorexia' derives from the Greek an– 'without' + orexis 'appetite, desire.'"

Adding a "t" doesn't change the basics of etymology.

The 2005 post continued, "People who just can't stay out of the sun also are called tanaholics."

That's correct.

A synonym would be tanophilia.

Not nearly as catchy as tanorexic but it does offer the benefit of being correct.

Goldfish Trash Bags

Biodegradable plastic; 13 gallon capacity.

12 for $15.99.

[via O VALOR DO DESIGN]

'Stonehenge' — by Markus Georg

The Berlin-based artist "... pegged laundry to a clothesline so that the sheets and trousers mimic the British site's post-and-lintel system," wrote Jessica Dawson in an August 28, 2009 Washington Post review of "Gute Aussichten: New German Photography," a traveling show now in its fifth year featuring work from top German photography students, up at the Goethe-Institut in Washington, D.C. through next Thursday, September 3.

Hubless Clock — by Petter Knudsen

The Norwegian designer graduated from

Bergen National Academy of the Arts this past summer.

Of his hubless clock (above and below) he said, "I was trying to construct a wall clock where the hour and minute hands

don't emerge from the center but, instead, float around the outer rim."

It would appear he succeeded.