bookofjoe

Drainspotting

From the website:

"Manhole covers, drains, grates, trench covers —

someone had to design all of these.

Functional and ornamental, there's a lot of interesting stuff happening down by your feet.

Check it out."

OK.

[via Cary Sternick]

Treadmill Desk-in-a-Box

Perhaps you're not a resident of my Podunk town and therefore can't take advantage of my standing offer to drop by and help you set up your own custom treadmill workspace — free, the way you like it (bonus: I pay for my own gas).

And maybe you're hesitant to sift through the considerable accumulated treadmill desk wisdom, trying to sort the wheat from the chaff.

Or you're lazy like me.

Well, your problem is solved.

Hammacher Schlemmer's put together what looks to me like a very functional and reasonably priced portable treadmill desk that's tall enough to really work properly in terms of ergonomics.

Long story short: You want your screen(s) to be at eye level so you don't strain your neck and distort your posture, resulting in your getting tired, frustrated and bagging the whole idea.

$399.95 (treadmill not included).

[via TeleRead's Paul Biba, who added that he's planning on getting one soon. Stay tuned for his review.]

Geriatric Park: Where the old ones are

Above, the world mapped by percentage of people in each country 64 and over.

Planetwide, 7.84% of the population is in that group.

[via ChartsBin]

Water-Activated CommuteMate InstaCloth Towelette

Stephen Young reviewed this interesting item in Kevin Kelly's Cool Tools, edited by Oliver Hulland, as follows:

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The InstaCloth is a pill about the size of a mint or a large antacid that comes 8 to a pack. When dampened slightly, it expands and opens up into a 9" x 9" wiping cloth. Besides being very small and allowing you to carry it in just about anything (including your pocket), it's very strong (cloth, not paper) and doesn't shred. If you're miserly it can be kept and reused, but can be disposed of without guilt. If you need something portable, it is perfect. Ideal in your car for instant spill cleanup or at the office for coffee spills or whatever.

They are a unique item unlike anything I have seen, and have proven practical and very useful. I have grandkids, and they have come in handy several times. I discovered the InstaCloth in a Sportsman's Warehouse store a few months ago and was intrigued by the idea and bought some and have been using them ever since.

••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

32 InstaCloths:

$8.49.

Note: Keep these away from small children.

You think those rare-earth magnets can wreak havoc if swallowed?

You ain't seen nothing....

Fair warning.

BehindTheMedspeak: MAUDE — The FDA's manufacturer and user facility device experience database

"MAUDE data represents reports of adverse events involving medical devices."

Plenty here  if you've got the patience to drill down deep.

Jigger Cube

Each of the six sides holds a different amount, enabling you to concoct almost any recipe.

3" (7.5cm) sides.

Cast aluminum.

$25.

Ambiguous Words

From the website: "Here's a bunch of words that, by themselves, have a handful of meanings. Because of this flexibility, they can be instrumental in titles for... songs/poems/stories/etc. The most flexible words are at the top of the list."

[via Milena]

Secchiolino (Bucket Chair)

Italian designer Alessandro Zambelli created

this wonderful children's

chair by cutting a

plastic bucket.

[via muuuz]