bookofjoe

Required reading for the would-be digerati

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The list above was a sidebar to Michiko Kakutani's magisterial March 21, 2010 New York Times Arts & Leisure section front page essay titled "Texts Without Context."

Full disclosure: I've read only two of the books listed above, those by Manjoo and Keen.

On the other hand, a 2002 book authored by me (below)

is very similar in concept to that of David Shields' controversial new manifesto, only mine was published by iUniverse to the sound of one hand clapping and didn't get any ink, and so disappeared down the Amazon memory hole where it's currently — hold on a sec while I get my scanning tunneling microscope warmed up, the number's so far down — 1,434,514.

With a bullet.

Heh.

No matter, there's plenty of upside from where I'm standing.

Even if there isn't a whole lot of daylight.

USB LED Light Show Fan

From the website:

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USB-powered, no battery/AC required.

5 LED lights generate 32 different light patterns.

Flexible neck lets you turn the fan in any direction.

Long life, quiet motor, on/off switch, plug-and-play.

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A lot of technology for $8.50.

Energizer Bunny — Going, going, gone! (for $17,925)

The 25-inch-tall pink bunny, one of four originals, sold for that price at auction last Saturday in Beverly Hills, California.

Heritage Auction House, the seller, said that the bunny it sold was one of the two in most of the battery commercials, which began in 1989.

Prolly the other two were used more for close-ups and head shots.

Above, the very first commercial.

One YouTube commenter wrote, "I remember seeing that first commercial during the opening week of the 1989 NFL season."

FunFact: The Energizer Bunny was ranked by Advertising Age as #5 on its list of the 20th century's biggest advertising icons.

Traveler's Phrasebook T-Shirt

 

Excellent.

"This T-shirt has a set of international pictograms on it — just point to whatever you need and then point to the question mark."

$36.

I'd like to see a clubbing version... ha.

'This video has been removed by the user' — Episode 2: Megan strikes back

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

Her comment yesterday on the Episode 1

post appears up top.

Portable Record Player

Got vinyl?

Two speeds.

Battery-powered.

Rubberized finish.

USB connector for analog-to-digital transfer.

Platter smaller than a teacup saucer.

Dual headphone jacks.

Stereo speakers.

Carrying case.

$149.95.

[via LikeCool]

Programmable Vodka Bottle

"Medea Spirits vodka bottles now come wrapped in a blue programmable LED scrolling pixel display that can be programmed with up to 6 messages, each up to 255 characters in length. The messages can be scrolled through when the display is turned on and messages can be changed using buttons on the side of the board. You can get 40 hours of scrolling display and the battery lasts up to a year."

[via Whollysblog]

Pencil Bowl

From the website:

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Combine with any set of at least 36 standard hexagonal pencils of about 7.0 mm cross section (measured at the smallest diameter), which are available around the world from many department stores and art supply stores — I’ve seen good sets for as little as $7.

You can also use branded sets; examples of branded pencils that fit are Stabilo Aquacolor 1600 and Caran d’Ache Prismalo I, but there are many more.

Normal black pencils often have the same size and shape and work as well.

Just remember, I didn’t say you should nick them at the office.

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Central connector piece (made from laser sintered polyamide): $67.

In case it's not completely clear: Pencils NOT included.

[via noquedanblogs and Bem Legaus!]