Wednesday, July 26, 2006

Overly Bossy Signs - Vol. I

The world is filled with rules and directions, even in places where they are completely unnecessary. Everywhere you look there are signs saying "go here", "don't go there", "use this bathroom", "don't carry explosives in here" and all sorts of other nonsense. I think it's fun to mock stupid instructions. Let's start here, taking the below instance for example:


Why must this sign be placed at the edge of the table? Servers have been using these signs to identify tables and their corresponding orders for decades, are they only effective in a certain position at the edge of an eating surface? I decided to test the validity of this instruction; to challenge the "status quo" by placing this sign in the exact CENTER of our table. Observe below image:



Yes, this may be a risky gamble if you're hungry and need a guarantee that your server won't get confused. But I was feeling a sense of adventure that morning. I'm happy to report that our food arrived without incident. Feel free to experiment with disobeying overly bossy signs on your own and please post your comments here.

Monday, July 24, 2006

The Best Calculator in the World

Everyone can relax now, I've found the answer to that burning question that nags the intellect of mammals everywhere: "What is the best calculator in the world?" Silly you, that calculator is none other than the Texas Instruments TI-1706SV Display Calculator which according to Office Depot has one amazing feature that sets it apart from other models. This unique attribute is eloquently called out in their online copy: "works great for solving math problems". Kindly see below:
Ground breaking. A calculator that is great for solving math problems. It's revolutionary.

The magic doesn't stop there. This amazing calculator not only calculates, but it also DISPLAYS its calculations. It doesn't keep those calculations a secret like those stupid, selfish other "non Display" calculators. It actually shows you all of the amazing things it calculates so that you don't have to remember them in your head. It "displays" them conveniently for you to enjoy.

You see, this thing is great at calculating. It's what it does best. It knows how to do it and it proves it by showing you. If you want something that merely estimates math problems for you, then keep shopping because this isn't it. Perhaps you'd be more interesting in this less superior product:

(click image to enlarge)

Why waste your time with Epinions or any of those silly product review sites. You heard it here...and by my exact estimation this website is really great for displaying text and images in your web browser.