Universal Rule

Book Reviews

Friday, January 9, 2004

PowerPoint column still generating comments -- Comment()
Last Monday appeared my net column on PowerPoint (written in Finnish, Kuinka PowerPoint tuhosi avaruussukkulan). This column is still generating feedback, more than any writing I have written before. (Well, perhaps a printed column on LaTeX vs. Microsoft Word generated more feedback.) Readers are either defending PowerPoint or telling their favorite story about problems with PowerPoint.

Taking a vacation -- Comment()
Next week I'm taking a break from blogging (and work). Have to practice cross-country skiing, and teach the skill to the children also.

So far this year I have managed to write four magazine articles and one net column, and one textbook is ready to be printed (third updated edition). And there has been all kinds of other activities as well. Not too shabby.

A new coat made with phase change materials (PCM) -- Comment()
Yesterday I bought an Outlast coat from a discount sale. I'm a sucker for new technology, so when NASA was mentioned as inspiration for the lining of the coat, I went for it.

However, later I had second thoughts. Even though the price was half normal, this is still the most expensive coat I have ever bought. So today I looked up outlast on the web: "Technology developed for a highly specialized or extreme use often trickles down to the average person's everyday life. This is the case with the Outlast phase change technology--originally developed for NASA in 1988 by Triangle Research and Development (TRDC), for use in suits and gloves to protect astronauts from the extreme fluctuation between the bitter cold and scorching heat that they often encountered in space."

Now I could say that I'm walking around in a space suit. So far I haven't encountered any extreme temperature changes. Have to see how the coat behaves then. But it is a nice coat, I'm saying to myself.