bookofjoe

All the medalists: Men's 100 meters — "One Bolt to rule them all"

Interesting New York Times interactive graphic by Kevin Quealy and Graham Roberts who wrote, "Usain Bolt's 9.63 set an Olympic record in the 100. So how far ahead of every Olympic medalist is he?"

[via Andrew Martin]

Elt Belt

From the website:

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The challenge: Do away with the belt buckle and create a symmetric flat strong tie without any additions.

Looking at the woven fingers of my locked hands bent in thought, the idea was found.

The solution: Elt is a belt utilizing a unique feed-teeth method of fastening, created with a needle-fine water jet.

It will not register on a metal detector because it contains no metal.

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Black, White, or Flesh; 3 or 4 cm high.

€110.

PointerPointer

Reader Ray Earhart wrote, "Who came up with this and why?" 

"Somehow I'm facepalming, laughing, and moving my pointer all at the same time*, which seems to follow the logic of the site."

He added, "After all this time whenever I fall across a site like that I immediately think of you. Sad, isn't it? :)"

*FunFact: Ray is a well-known and respected multitasker!

Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon make my day!

In last Saturday's mail came the inscribed signed photo above, from the grand panjandrums of ESPN's "Pardon The Interruption," my favorite sports show — no, make it my favorite show period.

I've loved Tony Kornheiser since he was a Washington Post columnist who was so funny I often laughed out loud while reading his stuff over coffee at 5:45 a.m. as I prepared for another day in the anesthesiology trenches.

Wilbon too is a fantastic writer, whose departure along with Kornheiser from the Post left its Sports section a hollowed-out shell, with all manner of wannabe columnists who can't carry these guys' briefcases.

No matter: They're on TV five days a week at 5:30 p.m. (except when Kornheiser's out for one of his innumerable back hair/tattoo removal sessions) and that's something to look forward to.

Oh, yeah, I almost forgot: Why'd they send me the picture?

Full disclosure: I sent each of them a personally inscribed, autographed copy of my latest book:

You will note the inscription reads: "Joseph, Thanks for the book!"

This photo goes on my Shelf of Honor.

w00t!

Carbon Dater

From the website:

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Carbon Dater is a black diamond-tipped carbon pen for writing and illustrating directly on glass. 

A 0.30 carat black diamond is set into a milled brass claw, fixed to a hand-tooled laser-engraved inanimate carbon rod, and presented in an inked 304-piece hinged cardboard box.

Box made with Snorri Már Snorrason.

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€1,200.

253 Digitized Renaissance and Early Modern Festival Books on Your Desktop

"View 253 digitized Renaissance festival books (selected from over 2,000 in the British Library's collection) that describe the magnificent festivals and ceremonies that took place in Europe between 1475 and 1700 — marriages and funerals of royalty and nobility, coronations, stately entries into cities, and other grand events.

[via Richard Kashdan]

Spaghetti Tower

From the website:

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This container stores your spaghetti and then dispenses the exact quantity you need for your meal.

Open the measuring cap to your desired quantity and dispense.

Cap opens for 1 to 4 portions.

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$23.