8 Sep

Loose change on global currency

News, Rant by Nick

You may remember that, after the global recession hit full swing, some curious news reports about creating a single global currency began to surface. Well, from rumors to a report by the United Nations itself, the single international bank concept is gaining traction. Here’s the latest from Bloomberg:

UN countries should agree on the creation of a global reserve bank to issue the currency and to monitor the national exchange rates of its members, the Geneva-based UN Conference on Trade and Development said today in a report.

Almoste makes me want to head up to Pittsburgh for the G20, just to hang out in hotel bars and listen in on the latest gossip.

6 Sep

Banksy mural more than half painted over

Art, Books by Nick

Wow, if this doesn’t smack of a Douglas Adams-level of beauracracy in action, I don’t know what does. As reported by the BBC:

Blur Banksy is ruined by mistake

What a terrible waste of a fantastic piece of art. Truly shameful. Reminds me of this passage from The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy:

“But Mr Dent, the plans have been available in the local planning office for the last nine months.”

“Oh yes, well as soon as I heard I went straight round to see them, yesterday afternoon. You hadn’t exactly gone out of your way to call attention to them, had you? I mean, like actually telling anybody or anything.”

“But the plans were on display …”

“On display? I eventually had to go down to the cellar to find them.”

“That’s the display department.”

“With a flashlight.”

“Ah, well the lights had probably gone.”

“So had the stairs.”

“But look, you found the notice didn’t you?”

“Yes,” said Arthur, “yes I did. It was on display in the bottom of a locked filing cabinet stuck in a disused lavatory with a sign on the door saying ‘Beware of the Leopard’.”

6 Sep

Random Object Generator

Random Object by Nick

Installment #5:

What is it? tiny glass cat

What’s its deal? gift from my cousin to me on my way into college

Where does it live? above the kitchen sink, below the leaves of whatever plants I’m rooting at the moment

Any notable facts? this cousin and I no longer speak

3 Sep

Jade green Apples

Rant, Technology by Nick

Sometimes, in my daily life, the fact that Apple is relatively special as a company escapes me. Working with Macs and other Apple products left and right at my work and at home does tend to shift my perception of what is normal in the world of gadgetry. In fact, the problems that I find to be incredibly annoying often center around the shortcomings of my fruit-flavored gizmos. Friends, I’m jaded about Apple. I’ll admit it.

But, once in awhile, I’m reminded of how good I have it. Owen asked me today what he’d have to buy to in order for his fiancée’s computer to support Danish when she arrives here from Denmark. Without missing a beat, I told him that he’d simply have to turn on the Danish language, select a Danish keyboard layout and plug in a Danish keyboard that she’d brought with her from Denmark. Then, I proceeded to mentally lament the fact that she can’t just buy a Danish Apple keyboard here in the States. Woe!

Whoa. Thinking about it a bit further, I just realized that not only does Apple make hundreds of keyboard layouts perfectly compatible with their operating system for no charge, but they also make dozens of translations of their operating system available for non-English speaking users. Further, they sell versions of their hardware tailored for regions around the world when they could just as easily half-ass it with slapping a few different keycaps in and calling it a day. Or no-ass it with just one ‘merican version of their products that those slavish foreigners have to make due with.

So, for just a moment, I’m going to be completely happy with Apple again. Just today.

1 Sep

Short post on Lego houses

General Entertainment by Nick

James May’s Lego house in Dorking (there it is again, Andy) is nearly complete. Jalopnik has photos and an update.

30 Aug

Talk amongst yourselves

Cars, Unexplained by Nick

(Thanks, Jalopnik.)

29 Aug

Quotability

General Entertainment by Nick

While shopping for shirts online today, Kate and I came up with the same maxim for men’s clothing:

“You have to ask yourself, ‘would John Goselin buy it?’ If the answer is yes, then your answer is no.”

Truer words and all that…

28 Aug

Could this save the car industry?

Cars, Technology by Nick

Jalopnik has a curious little post about the Gordon Murray T25 and its radical new method of production. I have to do some more digging, but it certainly seems like – if not the T25 – something like this could pave the way to cars built on demand. Here’s the article:

Gordom Murray T25 Could Lead To Apple Car

My thinking seems to be along the lines of: cars are fashion accessories with utilitarian purposes, like sneakers | you can make yourself custom sneakers online | why not cars a la NIKEiD?

(Thanks, Jalopnik.)

28 Aug