Pick of the week: Design Ideas Depot

A rather special Pick of the week this week. As I mentioned last week, my wife has been working on her first blog and being a very talented amateur graphic designer, photographer and artist, she has a wide choice of things to write about and share with others. Her blog, aptly named Design Ideas Depot revolves around these topics. English is not her first language, so she took her time writing her first post, and I for one, was quite impressed with it. I find that the elegance and grace of her personality show through in her writing style.

Now, I know that you may think that I am a little biased, and I do admit to being my wife's greatest fan! But in defense of that, I am an intensely critical person, and I struggle to find anything wrong with her work. It's just not that easy; most people who view her photography are astounded by its beauty and quality.

I am keeping an eye on what she'll write about next, and I believe you'll feel the same way after reading her too.

Book review: Pocket Ref

For fans of Mythbusters, the little black book aptly called Pocket Ref is perhaps the most used tool on the show.

Pocket Ref is a book published by Sequoia Publishing, and is now in its third edition, which is a testament to its continued usefulness. It contains reference information of all types, as well as tables, charts and guides on such varied subjects as automotive repair, carpentry, construction, chemistry, physics, computers, physical, chemical, and mathematical constants, electronics, money and measurement conversions, first aid, glues, solvents, paints, and finishes, hardware, mining, milling, and aggregate, plumbing, zip codes, rope, cable, and knots, steel and metals, surveying and mapping, geology and mineralogy and much more.

Some of the information I've found in it so far has been simply mind-blowing! As the publisher indicates, they have made every attempt to avoid any errors, and I can appreciate how difficult it would be to complete this task with any degree of success. The book has been in print since 1989, and as mentioned above, is currently in its third edition (and according to my copy, the 24th printing!). The latest edition was released in 2002, and I would imagine that any errors that were discovered have been reported and corrected since then in subsequent printing runs. I have found a few omissions (specifically area codes for the Montreal and Toronto area, but the base ones listed are correct), and a decidedly USA-centric base of knowledge, as exposed by details such as the fact that most measurements are imperial unless specified, or that listed military ranks are in fact US Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines. But in no way does this reduce the value of this book.

As the name implies, Pocket Ref is a pocket-sized book and can truly be carried with you all the time, and its priced low enough to make it an excellent gift for any person on your list. It is also possible to order copies with custom covers, making this an excellent business gift for prospective customers. Trust me, they will remember you forever if you give them one of these with your business contact information printed on the cover. This book is easily one of the three books I would choose to take with me to a deserted island, and might even make my number one pick, if I was thinking rationally!! Get your own copy now, you will definitely not regret it.

Pick of the week: Rotten Dead Pool

The first time I came across the expression Dead Pool was with the Clint Eastwood movie The Dead Pool. In the movie, a lunatic has created a dead pool, a list of people he expects to die. Of course, in this case, the lunatic is conveniently killing the people on his list. But a true dead pool is very much like any other kind of pool, like hockey and football pools. Except that you pick people you think will die, rather than attempt to guess a score or a season winner.

The Rotten Dead Pool website is a fantastic resource and allows you to pick ten people you believe will die during the year. The game resets every year, and registered users have their scores kept and displayed throughout the year. The site also provides a pretty extensive database of past and present celebrities, along with any relevant information. Some basic rules about the game are also provided, and please keep in mind that any interference on the part of the player that might concern one of their picks renders the pick invalid. No, you can't kill the people on your list! Where's the fun in that?

My best score so far has been 5 out of my list of 10. I know, it's morbid, but it invokes some pretty deep thinking if you make your picks seriously. Go take a look right now and make some picks, see how you score this year!

A bike for my wife

When my wife and I moved in together, she already had a bicycle. I use the term loosely, as there are so many issues with her bike that I cannot seem to adjust or correct, and the bike is just not worth getting parts for anyway. I have done my fair share of bicycle repairs, from the mundane (like fixing flats and changing pedals) to the more exotic (like installing a suspension fork in a non-suspension bike). But that did not keep me from doing what I could to make the bike a little better.

I began by removing the rear rack, which I noticed she was never using anyway. That removed almost 0.5 kg from the rolling weight of the bike, and removed some rattles as well. I noticed that the rear wheel was a little off, and rather than correct it, I swapped out the rear wheel for an older wheel I already had, with a much better Shimano 105 hub and freewheel, a much better Ukai rim and a lighter spoke pattern overall. I made several attempts to get her Grip Shift shifters working correctly, but was never able to get it to reach the full range of gears. I know what the problem is, the cables are finished, but the bike is hardly worth the price of new shifter cables. Same thing with the brakes. After resetting the brakes and attempting to get them working correctly, they just ended up as mushy as before. I lubed up everything, wiped the bike down, pumped up the tires to an acceptable pressure and that was it.

That is pretty much the extent of what I have been able to do, and I have reached a conclusion: my wife needs a new bike. Now, what I need to do is to properly assess what she needs. It's a little more difficult than I anticipated, as her needs are very different from mine, and her tastes are also very different. When she rode my bike, her first comment was that she found it much too "nervous". I think I understand what she means, but I could be wrong.

I think she would do well with a bike that meets the following criteria:

- Light, rigid frame without suspension, either at the front or rear.

To me, this means an aluminium frame, as it provides the required rigidity, as well as the convenience of a metal unaffected by oxidization.

- Simple, direct gear change system, like Shimano Nexxus internal gear hub

An internal gear hub provides required gearing without the use of derailleurs. This provides a cleaner setup, less maintenance and improved resistance to the elements.

- Good quality brakes, with quality levers

Although disc brakes seem to be the rage, I also believe that their inherent power and modulation capabilities make them a better choice over standard rim brakes. By choosing a cable actuated model over a hydraulic system, the maintenance requirements are reduced.

- A moderate gear ratio

The Shimano Nexxus hub provides 7, 8 or 9 speeds, depending on the specific model selected. The gear ratios have been extensively studied by Shimano, so as to provide the greatest functional range for the user.

- Flatproof, leakproof tires (well, flat-resistant and leak resistant!)

Although an impossible request, the use of kevlar-belted tires has increased for urban bicycles, and have helped to reduce the number of flats. With the addition of leak-proof inner tubes, the combination is as close to flatproof as we can currently make it.

- A comfortable saddle, avoiding the racing profiles

This is a very personal choice, and I've encouraged my wife to try as many as she can. Only she can really tell me what is the most comfortable choice for her.

I've figured that with some options, like a suspension seat post, she could retain the comfort of suspension, without the hassles of maintenance, and unavoidable lack of quality of cheaper suspension forks. It all remains to be seen, but I will update here as soon as we've made more progress.

Amazon's Kindle has some competition from Sony

It was bound to happen. After the popular online book retailer Amazon introduced their ebook reader, the Kindle, it was just a matter of time before another manufacturer attempted to jump on the bandwagon of ebook readers. Well, Sony announced two new readers today, the Reader Pocket Edition and the Reader Touch Edition. Sony plans to have the devices out at the end of the month and with a pricing structure that puts it at the same price or just below the Kindle.

The Pocket Edition has a five-inch display, will be available is three colours for the moment, including navy blue, rose and silver, and is sized to fit in a jacket pocket or a purse. It will store about 350 standard eBooks and will last about two weeks on a single charge, if we are to believe Sony's claims.

The Touch Edition is a little bit larger, with a six-inch display that you can control, as the name indicates with touch, using either your finger, a stylus or the virtual keyboard. The device will also includes a built-in Oxford American English Dictionary as well as Memory Card and SD card slots, for additional storage space. Sony has indicated that both models make use of an E Ink Vizplex electronic paper display, that according to Sony representatives, "mimics the look of ink on paper.

The software provided will be compatible with both PCs and Apple platforms and allow users to read documents in several formats, including PDF, Word, BBeB and other text files. Sony has also created an eBook Store online, and new releases and New York Times bestseller titles will be priced at $9.99. The readers will also have access to the 1 million free public domain books that Google has currently digitized. What remains to be seen is Sony's response to the public pressure against their draconian DRM application.

It will be interesting to see what Amazon's response is to Sony's step into this market. I can only anticipate price reductions on current Kindle models, and perhaps some hardware revisions in the near future? It remains to be seen.

New Feature: Classic Movie Review

It's come to my attention that many of the movies I've enjoyed the most are in some cases several years old. With that in mind, I decided to create a new feature called Classic Movie Review, where I will review movies that I have seen over the years, and that I believe might be enjoyed by others. I have pretty eclectic tastes, but foremost, I enjoy a good story. I am not a fan of movies that attempt to disguise bad writing with special effects.

I hope that this new feature will prove to be an interesting addition to this blog, and provide some new choices from older features. Enjoy.

Pick of the week: Meosphere

I browse through a lot of sites on any given week, and a few weeks ago, I ran into Meosphere. Essentially, Meosphere is over 2500 check lists and maps for marking where you've been and what you've done, and to help you plan where you want to go and what you'd like to do.

Some of the lists include selections such as Strangest Foods You've Eaten to Subway Systems You've Ridden On and all sorts of things in between. With the possibility of adding new items to many lists, and the chance to discuss with anyone willing to share their lists, Meosphere is sure to be an interesting browse.

Go ahead and take a look, you might find a few things you'd like to try.