Dear sir or madam will you read my book?

If you have some books (paperback, hardcover) or even audio discs and cassettes at home that you no longer want for one reason or another, but don't want to throw them in the recycling bin, check out the Paperback Swap site.You can list books you want to swap and when someone requests it, mail it to them. The first ten books you list earn you two credits to choose two books. Looks like after that whenever someone requests a book of yours, you receive a credit. There are over over 4 million titles to choose from. You print the postage labels for books people request from you at home and simply mail it to them.

Together for the first time

One morning last week my stapler became hopelessly jammed. Not what I was wanting when I had to staple together 24 invoices. And it's a little embarrassing having coworkers see one trying to fish out the stuck staples with an unbent paperclip. Honestly, those little buggers (the staples, not the coworkers!) took me about 20 minutes to free. The previous week I had to figure out how to reload staples in an electronic stapler. Open the visor, that was easy. Next step took me several Google searches to find and the next step was: unlock the cartridge. Nowhere did the internet tell me HOW to unlock the cartridge. I finally figured out to press down very hard (breaking a fingernail in the process) on a teeny blue button which apparently was the cartridge lock.

So for a couple weeks it seemed staples and/or staplers were out to get me. If only someone would invent a staple-free stapler. Oh wait, someone has!

There's a new handy device that cuts a little flap in the corner of your papers, folds those flaps back and tucks them into a tiny slit. It can clip together up to five sheets at once. It's safe for all ages and supposedly maintenance free. Prices start at six dollars. Government offices in Japan almost all use these devices exclusively. The current market for these is about 30% more than traditional staplers.

If I could save time in a fish tank

"An oasis of calm in your hectic cube."

On my work desk I have my computer and assorted dull things like: stapler, calendar, hand lotion, tape dispenser and paper clips. It would be very cool to add this for life, color and even functionality. I'd probably end up watching the fish swim around far too much, though, since there's something hypnotizing about that.

For around forty dollars, you can buy this beauty. It's powered entirely by your computer's USB power. Plays soothing nature sounds. I suppose not everyone considers all nature sounds soothing. Frogs and birds are very well outside, but I don't know about indoors and the sound of running water would probably make me have to use the ladies room more often. It contains a multifunctional pen holder, multicolor interior lights, under-gravel filtration system, low voltage pump, LCD calendar with time and date plus the temperature, alarm clock and countdown timer (hopefully not countdown to when you're fired for watching your fish too much.)

So you are a star

If you would like you, your family and your friends to star in novels, Ustarnovels can make that literary dream come true. They have ebooks, romance novels, vampire thrillers, childrens and teens books, the classics and more categories to choose. The books are bound paperbacks that look like any other book you'd buy except you star in the story. The personalized romance novels can be 150 to 180 pages. The personalized classics from 120 to 520 pages. You choose your own cover and spend five minutes filling out a questionaire to provide details required to personalize the story. Cost is between $24.95 and $39.95 plus shipping and handling. 

How many holes it takes to fill the Albert Hall

Trypophobia is a fear of holes, or objects with holes. Beehives, ant hills, sponges, seed pods. That sort of thing. Apparently people with this fear see holes like these and have a reaction in their brains that signals danger. I'm mentioning this because the street where I live currently is turning into what resembles a bomb site, with hundreds (seemingly thousands) of potholes. Driving down it makes one wonder if one of those holes (or a conglomeration of them) will turn into a gigantic sinkhole and one will be sucked into the earth's core. If I suddenly disappear, look for me there.

Check it and see

One night sitting, listening to an old ELO album, the song "Ma-ma-ma belle" came on and in a moment of epiphone that should have happened decades ago, I realized it was way too similar of a sound to Foreigner's "Hot blooded." The ELO song was released in 1973. Foreigner's in 1978. Listen for yourself. And someone give Jeff Lynne a call.

Who are the ad wizards who came up with this one?

I saw this in a magazine (which magazine, I have now forgotten) that I read a couple weeks ago. While you’re out shopping, you may want to be aware that colors can affect how you spend your money. And those colors are placed there on purpose to make you spend your money like the “ad wizards” want you to. Here’s some helpful hints:

Black: Makes everything seem more posh.

Blue: One of the most favored colors. Customers are 15% more likely to return to stores with blue color schemes. Makes people feel secure.

Burgundy: Reminds customers of the rich and refined. So that must be why so much of my house is decorated in burgundy. If I can’t be rich and refined, I might as well fool myself.

Orange: Associated with affordability.

Pink: Has calming effects.

Red: Too much like a stop sign. Stores should avoid using.

Green: Eco minded, even if what the customer is buying is not eco friendly.

Violet: Think of royalty.

White: Simplicity and purity, modernity and honesty.

Yellow: Fast food favorite, supposedly increases appetites.