bookofjoe

"A note can be as small as a pin or as big as the world" — Thelonius Monk's 1960 advice to saxophonist Steve Lacy [Blast from the past]

This post originally appeared here on June 21, 2009.

It only gets better with time.

Transcript here.

[via Neven Mrgan, ERIC ALBA, and What Alice Found]

What's wrong with this picture?

Before I answer the question in the headline, I will note what's right about the photo, which accompanied Sarah E. Needleman's September 12 Wall Street Journal article.

1. The gentleman — Micah Baldwin — in his home treadmill workspace, quite high end to be sure.

2. His dog.

So what's wrong with the picture?

Look at the computer screen — more specifically, its height.

Now look at the man on his treadmill.

Note the relative heights of the man's eyes and the computer screen.

Ergonomically, your eyes — while you are walking on your treadmill in your workspace — should be level with the center of your computer and/or other screen(s).

That enables your neck to be in a neutral position as opposed to bending down as is the case with the man pictured.

His eyes are level with the top of his screen, and thus he is expending extra energy and tiring himself unnecessarily, not compatible with a great treadmill workspace experience.

I will be contacting Mr. Baldwin after this post appears to offer advice on how to improve his environment.

Yurbuds — "Sport earphones that never fall out"

Strong words, those.

From $29.99.

[via OceanMountainSky.com and a Los Angeles correspondent]

Writeable Pillow

That's different.

Write and erase any message you like on this 14" x 14" cushion.

To erase, remove case and rinse under cold water — no soap needed.

Pen included.

$35 CAD (Home Accessories — Page 6). 

Understanding Uncertainty — One principle to rule them all

You could do worse — far worse – today than visit statistician David Spiegelhalter's Understanding Uncertainty.

Siegenthaler is Worten Professor for the Public Understanding of Risk at the University of Cambridge.

I will go out on a limb — something which constant readers know is not something I do more than once or twice a day — and say that there is nothing — NOTHING — you can do with your time today (or any day) that will benefit you more in the long run than spending a little time with the good professor.

And that's all I'm gonna say about that because I'd much rather explore this singular, exciting resource.

Fair warning: There goes the rest of your life.*

*Assuming that you, like me, believe that there is inherent uncertainty at the most finely grained level of reality as opposed to things being already predetermined.

Do you believe in free will?

Or are you, as philosopher Nick Bostrom believes more likely than not, living in a computer simulation?

The choice is yours.

Unless it's not.

Foon + Chopsticks: Trail Utensils

Wooden chopsticks and a Foon (fork x spoon) in a steel storage tin.

Stainless steel: $9.95; Titanium: $16.95, both here.

[via OceanMountainSky.com and a Los Angeles correspondent]

bookofjoeTV — The endless piñata

This is the topic that keeps on giving.

Or will until I finally unveil it.

In the meantime, it's fun to do my verbal dance of the seven veils every now and then, just to remind you of what might actually happen one day.

I can reveal the following about bookofjoeTV:

1. It will star Gray Cat and me.

2. There will be a treadmill.

3. It will be a regularly scheduled show.

4. The first episode will be 15 minutes long and it will take the place of one of the day's regularly scheduled posts.

5. There will be sound.

6. There will be no explosions, music, or food.

Beyond that I cannot go.

Stay tuned.

Cassette to iPod Converter

From the website:

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

Converts audio tape cassettes into MP3 files and stores them directly onto an iPhone or iPod touch.

Accepts most iPhones and iPod touches, and normal or chrome cassette tapes.

With its free app, conversion to MP3 is as simple as inserting a cassette, docking an iPhone or iPod touch, and pressing play.

Tapes can be listened to using the headphone jack (headphones required) or by connecting audio output to a stereo system for scanning forward or reverse to select tracks for conversion.

Cassettes can also be converted to a PC running Windows 7, XP, or Vista, or a Mac using the included software.

Small footprint allows easy portability for conversion anywhere at anytime.

4.5"L x 3.25"W x 1.25"D.

Requires 2 AA batteries.

Weighs 8 ounces.

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

$79.95.

[via iPhoneFreakz and Richard Kashdan]