Speaking Of HandE Gadgets
Archive for November, 2009
As I was sipping my morning coffee at a sidewalk cafe I noticed a pretty fashion statement at the table next to me. No, I’m not talking about a woman; rather the ultimate in notebook styling - a laptop cover with a crystal initial which I’ve since learned is called a Skyn. What a conversation starter. Apparently this was not only an extension of her sophisticated personality, but it made it easy to identify and conspicuous of thieves.
I plan to check into these myself (not so much to reflect my debonair haute couture since I tend to be a bit more pragmatic) because eventually I plan to sell my laptop and the skin seems to protect it from scratches. PS - we have a date next week.
I recently had surgery on my neck which makes it very uncomfortable - no, downright painful - to tilt my head downward to read. I ran across these independent living aids called prism bed glasses which were actually designed to allow bed-ridden patients to view TV or read while lying down. The concept is to project images from your lap, or at a 90 degree angle so you can see them without bending
your neck or tipping your head. Anyway, when I first tried them on I was standing up - and only looking straight ahead - I saw my feet - scary! I might look goofy but they’ve made my life a whole lot more comfortable.
Everyone knows that James Bond is the quintessential spy and movie hero. He is able to overcome hundreds of villains and garner the affection of a beautiful girl without ever receiving a scratch. One of the most coveted aspects of the Bond persona is the accessibility to a variety of cool gadgets.
In the movies, there is a whole section of MI6 devoted to developing new gadgets for Bond. This secretive operation is headed by the sarcastic, yet endearing, Q. Although all of the gadgets were cutting edge at the time the movies were made, many of the inventions from the older movies are outdated by today’s standards.
Ever tried cleaning the garage floor or driveway by yourself? First hose it out, then run for the push broom to sweep it out. Then back to the hose and on and on. Meanwhile the water is rushing back into every niche and corner. I recently ran across a- water broom push broom that does it all- in-one. This gadget attaches a bristle head that has 14 built in power jets to a handle that attaches to any standard garden hose nozzle. The handle is aluminum so its lightweight even with the water running through it. With an on/off valve on the handle you can conserve water when all you want to do is brush or scrub. Believe me its saves a lot of time, energy and water - not to mention the mess of puddling and pooling.
Did you know over 11,000 people have visited a tortilla chip that appeared to have the face of Jesus Christ on it? - Have you heard of the grilled cheese sandwich or giant cheeto sold on ebay for a small fortune? Well now you can create your own - yes, a gadget that will press the face of Madonna into a piece of bread called Holy Toast. Having personally done this (yes, really) I can tell you you must press really hard, and white bread works best, but then voila - there she is. I wouldn’t suggest trying to sell the toast on ebay, though - heaven knows there’s enough stupid stuff there.
I came across a really cool gadget recently - a decorative helmet cover designed to attach to a protective sport helmet encouraging its use. After all, if you don’t wear it, it can’t protect you. These unique covers come in a variety of really cute designs- some with flashy lights, adding to their conspicuousness - especially at night.
While it must stay on the rider’s head to protect it from hits, the helmet should have a slow release buckle after a few seconds of steady pressure to avoid strangulation. To stay on your head, it must be level on the head and not tilted back exposing the forehead. Try it on before you buy it and confirm its interior can conform to your particular head bumps. A particular problem may arise if you wear a ponytail or braided hair. Few helmets accomodate these problems. It should hold securely and not stretch or change over time from wear, sweat, lotion, or tugging. Something as simple as wearing a sweatband might help alleviate these problems.
Making your helmet conspicuous can have a big impact on safety since if a driver can see you they will be more likely to try and avoid hitting you. The nogin sox certainly do this - after all, how often do you see someone with a flashing dinosaur, a synapsing brain, or a spiked mohawk? Beware of reflective tape on helmets as it is rarely effective; active lights are far superior to reflective materials.
Another important fact: your helmet is good for only one bad crash. After that the interior is usually damaged and the helmet should be replaced.
Some grim statistics: non-helmeted riders are 14 times more likely to die in crashes than helmeted riders; head injuries account for more than 60% of bike related deaths and it is estimated that anywhere from 45-88% of cyclists’ brain injuries can be prevented by a helmet. Moral of the story: find a helmet that fits and wear it! And do it in style with nogin sox.
After five years of marriage, I began to suspect that my wife was cheating on me. She would constantly come home from work late, and often give me vague excuses and become defensive when I confronted her. The suspicions became too much for me, and I decided that I had to take matters into my own hands.
Last month I had to go to China for two weeks on a business trip, and decided to employ an infidelity test kit on my return. To my chagrin, I found several incriminating pieces of evidence that indicated my wife had been unfaithful. My divorce was finalized last week, and now I am a happy bachelor once again.
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