Archive for the 'Random Stuff' Category

Free Year ’round Electronics Recycling at Recycle Ann Arbor

Friday, August 1st, 2008

 

Recycle your unwanted desktop and notebook computers, printers, copiers, fax machines, VCRs, stereos and microwave ovens at no charge.
Because of their lead and mercury content, monitors of all sizes still have a $15 fee. The drop-off center is open Mon - Sat.  More info at Recycle Ann Arbor.

Collaborative editing with Google Documents and Spreadsheets

Saturday, June 21st, 2008

It seems like everyday were finding new opportunities to make use of a tool called Google Documents and Spreadsheets. Here’s a cool video that shows just how useful this tool can be.

Snail Mail, really

Tuesday, June 17th, 2008

The BBC covered this “slow art” project called Real Snail Mail at Bournemouth University in the UK which will be showcased in Los Angeles in August.

Basically, a tank of snails with RFID tags in their shells slide past one of two RFID transmitters. One delivers the email to the snail and then eventually when the snail makes it to the other side of the tank the email gets picked up and sent to the ‘net.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7458531.stm

Keep your most committed employees with “The Offer”

Tuesday, May 20th, 2008

In the middle of the intense four-week orientation, Zappos gives new employees a bribe to walk away from it all. If they accept “The Offer,” the company will pay them for the amount of time worked plus give them a $1000 bonus. Why is Zappos paying new hires to quit?

Zappos wants to learn if there’s a bad fit between what makes the organization tick and what makes individual employees tick—and it’s willing to pay to learn sooner rather than later.

Innovative thinking! How much does disengaged employee hurt our bottom lines?

Parboiled Squirrel

Wednesday, May 14th, 2008

Ann Arbor CookbookEli over at the aadl uncovered this gem of a recipe from the Ann Arbor Cookbook, 1904:  ”The following is all I know about cooking squirrels. First catch your squirrel. Skin him, etc. Parboil in a little water in a kettle, add salt, pepper, and enough butter to fry it brown. Then eat. If the animal is tough parboil a little more till he is tender”  -Contributed by: F. A. LYMAN

I’m totally inspired and looking forward to our next IT Dinner, 1904 style.  You can view the scanned original of this recipe and other historic Ann Arbor cookbooks at the Ann Arbor District Library’s Cookbook Collection.

Thursday, March 20th, 2008

Ultra wide, ultra mail-able, and ultra unlike any envelope you’ve used before.

 

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At just 11×17 inches this envelope this is truly a breakthrough design.

ASCII Curtains

Wednesday, March 19th, 2008

Are you a huge nerd with a sharp sense of style? Then these ASCII art curtains by Dutch designer Nienke Sybrandy would the perfect addition to your abode. ASCII art is like geek impressionist painting: from afar you see a complete image, but up close you see all the tiny strokes (in this case printable characters) that make up the image. If the term hasn’t been coined already, I’d like to call this “geek chic.”
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coolest thing about my new car?

Thursday, March 13th, 2008

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Black and Blue

Wednesday, February 27th, 2008

I came in this morning craving a steak served black and blue style and although this dosen’t exactly meet the definition, this custom sandwich sure did satisfy the craving. Big thanks to the Deli sandwich line! Beef brisket, beautifully grilled onions and melted blue cheese served on a BH hoagie roll.

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Energy Harvesting

Monday, February 25th, 2008

knee-brace.jpg The human body as an alternative energy source? Here’s a method with huge potential for capturing the energy expended by our muscles: an energy harvesting knee brace.