Month: June 2012 | Shiny Bits of Life

June 25, 2012June 22, 2012

Vending machines and culture

Umbrella vending machine in Hong Kong In Hong Kong, I saw this umbrella vending machine. In Ghent, Belgium, I saw an entire storefront made of vending machines, selling a huge variety of stuff, including Hoegaarden beer.

Why is it that machines in North America mostly sell food and soft drinks? We could sell a much greater variety of things, making our lives that much more convenient. We wouldn’t have to employ shop keepers to work at 3 am. (Those same shop keepers could drive around the city refilling machines, during normal waking hours.)

What we don’t put in those boxes is reflective of the boxes we put ourselves in.

June 19, 2012June 13, 2012

Poll about brewing coffee

Hey friends, here’s a fun poll just for something different. You can see what the results are by clicking the “View Results” link at the bottom of the poll. And if you brew your coffee using a different method, let us know by a comment on this post. Thanks!

[polldaddy poll=6310515]

June 12, 2012June 14, 2012

Found note

found note I found this card on the parking lot of a Target store.

Observation: The author was older than 50, from the handwriting style.

Questions:

1. Did the author go back to their home and create the card or did they have some in their car, just waiting for such situations?

2. Did the bad parking person pick up the card and bring it with them to Target?

3. Did it fall out of their purse or pocket?

4. Did the bad parking person change their evil ways?

June 12, 2012June 10, 2012

Way to save

fuel gauge If you fill up your fuel tank when it’s only half empty, here are some good reasons to wait till it’s nearly empty:

1. You will cut down the number of your trips to the gas station. That will save you time and money. It will help save you money for two reasons – you will do fewer impulse purchases at the checkout counter (if you pay there) by paying for the fuel fewer times. You will save the fuel that it takes to stop and start your car or driving to the station, if you made a special trip.

2. You will pollute the atmosphere less. If people idle their vehicles behind you when you’re fueling, you’ll prevent some of their emissions from entering the atmosphere.

The only positive reasons I’ve heard to fill up sooner are that there may be sediment in the bottom of your tank that could get stirred up if the fuel level goes too low. But modern engines have sophisticated fuel filtration systems, so that shouldn’t really be a problem.

And yes, you are smart enough to fill up early enough that your tank won’t go empty.

June 4, 2012June 2, 2012

No small cars

Ford Ka toy car Life just gets to be too much at times.

I was going to do a presentation at Ignite Denver 11 called, “Why You Should Drive a Small Car.” I was really looking forward to presenting. However, I am deep into the first term of a graduate degree program (two courses at once) and am continuing in my responsibilities as a dad to three kids, a husband to one woman and doing a good job for the clients of my business.

So I am hoping that I can do the presentation after the degree is finished. I’ll graduate in December 2013, if all goes as planned.

Thanks to all my friends who kindly gave me “yes” votes to allow me to be one of the Ignite presenters. I hope to call on you again after the grad degree is in the bag.