bookofjoe

The art of BIC

"Spanish artist Juan Francisco Casas... uses up to four ballpoint pens

to create his photorealistic drawings,

measuring up to 10 feet high."

[via Bored Panda and Joe Peach]

BehindTheMedspeak: Portable Neck Traction

 

If you've ever had a cervical disc problem (I have) you probably know that neck traction is oftimes of extreme benefit in relieving pain and numbness, to the extent it can be essentially curative.

I used over-the-door traction (pictured below) 

with a 15-pound water bag exerting upward force 

 

via a harness on the base of my skull, 

 

for periods of 20-30 minutes four times a day.

Now comes this nifty portable device, which frees you from having to sit tethered to a door.

"Simply place it around your neck and pump the inflation bulb until you feel a comfortable stretch."

Looks pretty goofy, I must admit — but so do you when you're wearing the harness.

Trust me on that.

$69.98.

Helpful Hints from joeeze: On getting the most out of your refrigerator

 

Anjali Anthavaley's February 24, 2010 Wall Street Journal article was chock full of useful tips about making your fridge a better place.

Highlights:

• Don't put milk or eggs on shelves on the door. This is the warmest part of the refrigerator and shouldn't house highly perishable items. Put condiments there.

• Don't put apples and carrots next to each other. Apples produce ethylene, a substance causing some foods (including carrots) to spoil sooner.

• Refrigerators work best when approximately two-thirds full.

• Place vegetables in the crisper drawers. This is one of the coldest parts of the refrigerator and the humidity is set to best keep vegetables fresh.

• Recommended refrigerator temperature is 40°F.

• Remove the bottom drawers and clean underneath [you will most likely recoil in disgust when you see what's there — trust me on this].

• Open every jar and examine the contents.

• Look at the pull dates on all items and trash those past their time.

Titanium Skeleton Key

"Save your blade for cutting, use this for everything else."

File under "Possible alien artifact." 

Spanner or 

 

E-Key 

 

iterations: 

$99.

[via Running Dive]

Cellphones/100 People

Current worldwide penetration is 63.56 cellphones/100 people.

[via ChartsBin]

Toilet Paper in a Tube

  

That's different.

 

Each tube 

 

holds 

 

two rolls.

[via Trendhunter]

Squeaky Clean

Created from kitchen sponges by designer Kate Cusack as an undergraduate project.

[via What Alice Found]

City Lights Earth Globe

"The City Lights Globe automatically rotates upon its base, mimicking the revolution of the earth, and as it does the cities of the world light up as if you were viewing that part of the earth at night from space."

6" diameter.

$59.95.

[via LikeCool, The Daily What and Red Ferret]