Pure water for all 2005

My fundraiser to get $1000 donated to Women in Livestock Development is off to a good start, so I'm feeling much more confident about my ability to also do something during 2006 to provide better sanitation around the world.

I'd been planning to look into helping fund a village or regional pump (and I might still do that), but I was very excited to hear an interview with Don Gould of Pure Water 4 All on IT Conversations. The filters that they've created can be locally produced by traditional craftspeople using sustainable local materials. Nice. But do they really help? Yes. Within a matter of two or three weeks after they go into use there is a significant reduction in the number of children dying. That's a hell of a short term return on investment, but there are also long-term positive implications.

"When we bring down the level of despair in parts of the world we don't think about day-to-day, we bring up the possibilities for global peace, global economic growth, all of those issues, in a very concrete way."

Pure Water 4 All sounds like exactly the kind of project that I was hoping to find.

(By the way, if you haven't encountered the term before and are puzzled when you hear it, NGO stands for Non-Governmental Organization).

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A general tip: IT Conversations are really great to listen to when you do housework. (Try their Globeshakers series for especially inspiring topics). They're generally fascinating shows and keep your mind happily engaged while you, for instance, scrub the bathroom floor. Woo! Clean bathroom floor!

Begin at the beginning 2005

For future reference, the wonderful comic Achewood, by Chris Onstad began on October 1, 2001.

Achewood, first comic.

Reading Merlin Mann is always rewarding 2005

While getting the URL for Merlin's email handling tips for a friend, I got sucked into reading more  and came upon this lovely idea:

The Forehead Ticket Trick

So, you’re going to a ticketed event, like a concert or a ball game. It’s out of town. You’re carpooling with four other people. How do you ensure that everyone in the car has their ticket with them?

The car doesn't move until each person takes out their ticket and holds it to their forehead.   

Been doing it for 20 years, and you’d be amazed how often it saves the day.

from Merlin Mann's 43 Folders site.

Looking for something sillier? Try his 5ives.

If life gives you insomnia, make posts 2005

Well, the stupidest cold ever continues. I had thought earlier that I might be able to get to sleep, but after 2 hours of trying fitfully, I am giving in. If I'm going to be up until 3 or 4am, I might was well enjoy it as best I can.

One thing you can do in the middle of the night is look at pretty things that Maggie has picked out for you: visit Mighty Goods! My favorites: Band Shades, bandaids for people who aren't pale pink; the bunny mobile for over a crib; the Omron Premium Pedometer which I bought and am very happy with; the Chez Panisse fruit notecards which might just be enough to actually get me to write some letters; these cool adhesive oval patterns to make your wall super-retro hip; Scrabble cuff links; Connector pens that snap together and are bright and make my inner child get the big greedy eyes; a patch with a squirrel playing a drum; Wee Ninja; Kenneth Cole Think Pink cuff links; European wine glasses for casual entertaining; the brocade lanterns have really got me thinking about how I might decorate that spare room; ThermaCare Air-Activated Heat Pads about which Maggie is so very right; the Sam Brown Red Robot Hoodie; and I am intrigued by Junipero Gin and Steep Teas.

Mmm, but here's the winner: the Enzo Side-Snap Boot. I'm gonna look great in these.

(And yes, I may be moving into the final "intermittant cough" phase of the normal cold symptoms, but the inability to get to sleep seems to be worse. Since my alarm normally would go off in 150 minutes, I think it's safe to say I won't be making it in to work today either. Fortunately, at least at the moment I do feel enough better that I should be able to get through the afternoon and evening without a nap. Maybe tomorrow night I'll be asleep before the bars close...)

It's cool when my friends are on NPR 2005

Hey, turn on the radio tomorrow and listen to Forum at 10am on KQED. Michael Chorost, author of Rebuilt (which I was just recommending to you a couple posts ago), will be on and it should be a great show. Mmm, radio technology bringing you an interesting discussion with a man who hears the world thanks, in part, to radio technology. Science is tasty.

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And it was a fascinating and fun show, as hoped. Give it a listen!

Support your friends and neighbors... 2005

... part 2 in which the definition of neighbor includes sites I visit every day.

A ramble through the garden of the web 2005

Push open the gate and stroll along to Technorati, turn down a promising path to the tag "Weather", notice a wonderful blog name and end at the article which inspired it: "When Knitting Was A Manly Art".

A, A, A is for Awesome 2005

I adore the video which Arlo*'s Uncle Liam made for him and which is currently the latest post at Jenville.com.

Now I need the MP3. "Helloooo"

(I predict singing in the halls of SXSW when the fabulous Robbins family arrives.)

*Cutest. Baby. Ever.

And I thought he was cool before... 2004

I was dazzled Saturday by the amazing performance of Kid Beyond (Andrew Chaikin) at Fray Day, so tonight - as I was adding the music from the other great Fray musical guest, Goh Nakamura, to my iTunes library - I went to his site to add myself to his mailing list.

On the about page of his personal site his says "At this point I'd like to give a shout-out to my fonts..."

Andrew, you are a big geek*.

And you blew us away Saturday night. Can't wait for the next show!

*in these here parts, that is, of course, a compliment

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Just over an hour later I should note that I've been listening to Goh's album non-stop since then. I've delayed starting the big backup for my Powerbook (which took a 3' fall in my backpack inside its Zero Shock case and seems to be fine except for annoying cosmetic damage to the front trim). I had to listen to "Daylight Savings" five more times.