Awesomeness Report

It appears there is an unspoken armistice between CHEMT and KJAMBD (or maybe I won). So, I thought it would be good to stick with neutral subject matter for this post. In light of that, I want to report on a few things that the readership might find interesting.
In no particular order:


Scaredy Squirrel




This past week I had the opportunity to thumb through the first two books in this series by Melanie Watt. They are really funny and I particularly like the second one, "Scaredy Squirrel Makes a Friend". In that book, Scaredy is looking for the perfect, safe, germ-free friend. On one of the pages is his friend questionnaire with has multiple choice selections for questions like "how many teeth do you have?" Another question showed an ink-blot silhouette of a squirrel and the caption "what do you see?" with a space to check either, "a friend" or, "something to bite".

Here is a youtube clip of someone reading the first book. As a narrator she is no David Attenborough or James Earl Jones, but you'll get the idea at least.




Home Star Runner





I have to credit my brother in law Kendall for tuning on to this goodness years ago. I realize that anybody who's everybody already knows about this but in case you don't, go to www.homestarrunner.com to begin your journey. It is good clean, sarcastic entertainment. There are a lot of references to Internet culture, 80's rock, and vintage video games. Use the "characters" menu to get to know everybody and then be sure to check out the Strong Bad emails. Here are a few of the ones that I picked at a glance - really, they're all good though.

http://www.homestarrunner.com/sbemail44.html

http://www.homestarrunner.com/sbemail58.html

http://www.homestarrunner.com/sbemail143.html

This one isn't my favorite but I wanted to include it because the email came from a missionary who had just received his mission call. All we know about him is his name is Elder (not Endiment) Fullmer:

http://www.homestarrunner.com/sbemail85.html

Try rolling the mouse cursor over the text and photos after the email ends, there's lots of cool hidden stuff that you can click on.


Sinn UX



Who says quartz is not for connoisseurs? Who says Rolex is the only option? (actually comparred to those prices, this watch is an absolute bargain) Here is a quartz model from this German company that buys their metal from Germany’s North Sea shipbuilding yards where submarines are constructed from the very same steel. Because its case is filled with fluid, there is no air inside to compress under pressure. As a result the watch can go all the way to the bottom of the Mariana's Trench, the deepest water on planet Earth. How's that for water proof? They also make a GSG9 version with special dial markings and a relocated crown, designed for the elite German Grenzschutzgruppe (GSG9) special forces unit in underwater tactical operations. Here is some more info I copied from their sales page:

Because of the special steel used from the submarine steel manufacturer, and the use of Sinn's Tegiment technology, this bezel can be hardened up to 1500 Vickers instead of the usual 220 Vickers used on most watch cases. Further, the case resists the effects of exposure to salt water and salt water environments.

Unlike the Sinn U1 and Sinn U2, the Sinn UX features a quartz movement rather than a mechanical movement. This movement is a certified chronometer, and includes a rating certificate.

By using this type of movement, Sinn is able to fill the watch with oil, which has the double affect of greatly enhancing the readability of the dial and time from any angle (including under water), and increasing the water resistance of the watch even at great depths. The special battery used to power the movement has an expected life of seven years before needing to be replaced.

The Sinn UX is covered with a thick sapphire crystal for extreme protection. This sapphire crystal features a special anti-reflective coating that is virtually scratch-proof - the coating itself has been hardened to 1,800 HV.

The uni-directional ratchet operated rotating bezel is also milled from this submarine steel. The indices are machined directly into the bezel without the use of bezel inserts, which can corrode or come loose at deep depths. The bezel features Sinn's patented Tegiment technology.

This watch is designed for operation in extreme temperature variations - it operates in temperatures between -20° Celsius to +60° Celsius. This watch has been rated as waterproof according to the standards set under DIN 8310.

Matte black dial with date at 3, Super Luminova on hands and markers, and striking red seconds hand complete the design. Other features include sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating, and stainless steel bracelet.


Digital Photograhpy




I know, this isn't a product or a new trend, but I've just been thinking about how convenient it is to be able to store image files on your computer. Instead of trying to keep track of proof sheets and negatives, you can keep your photos indefinitely and recall them at any time you might need them. We've already filled five DVDs with pictures we've taken since going digital. I don't know, maybe I should go through them sometime...

END OF REPORT

- C