CONTENTS
Editorial: Officine Universelle Buly part 2.
Travel: Touchland Power Mist Kub2go hand sanitiser.
Technology: Drugfindr.
Stationery: Undated diaries.
Gadgets and Gear: Grim Workshop Sling Bow Card.
Books and writing: The Adventures of Tintin.
Project of the week: Rumble Jar Cold Brew Coffee Made Simple.
Contact Prowling Dog at prowlingdog@protonmail.com
EDITORIAL: Officine Universelle Buly part 2
Last week PD featured these beautiful stores, but for those who are curious, PD is giving readers an idea of the types of products that they sell. The packaging is as interesting as the top quality contents. Officine Universelle Buly sells products for caring for the skin, mouth, hair and body. Apart from tolietries. it sells brushes, including tooth brushes, scented candles and matches, and other accessories.
Contact Prowling Dog at prowlingdog@protonmail.com
TRAVEL: Touchland Power Mist Kub2go hand sanitiser
In PD issue 150 PD wrote about one of the darker sides of travel. namely the problem of hygiene. He featured the Cleanty UVC LED Sterilizer for sterilising objects. UVC light is harmful to cells, so it cannot be used on hands. This is where Touchland comes in.
What makes this hand sanitiser different to the ones readily available today? Most hand sanitisers are sticky and dry your hands. The Touchland is not sticky and it moisturises your hands at the same time.
It is an aqueous spray mist (most sanitisers are gels) that carries ten times the dose of ordinary containers, in a pocket or bag friendly size. The container is spill proof. It is available in either a choice of seven scents or in neutral form.
There is also a larger model for home or office use.
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/touchland/touchland-smart-stylish-hand-sanitizing
Contact Prowling Dog at prowlingdog@protonmail.com
TECHNOLOGY: Drugfindr
We have all read about and perhaps we know someone who has been the victim of an adulterated drink, particularly at a bar or nightclub, either for robbery or, everyone's nightmare, rape. Spiked drinks are nothing new, reports going back to the late 1800s. In fact, the eponymous term for this, "Mickey Finn", was coined after the bartender of the Lone Star Saloon and Palm Garden Restaurant in Chicago, which ran from 1896 to 1903 when it was ordered closed. He was accused of spiking drinks to rob customers. The term appeared in various books and movies after that. The drug of choice was chloral hydrate, however other drugs are more common today.
[Photograph: https://infamousnewyork.com/tag/shanghaiing/]
Drugfindr from Denmark, is a pocket-sized gadget that allows you to check your drink to see whether it has been spiked. Drugs detected include Ketamine, Fantasy and Rohypnol. According to the designers the unit will be updated for new drugs via Bluetooth or micro-USB cable. It can detect mixed drugs.
The device is made possible by the great strides that have been made in miniaturising technology, in this case the spectrometer. For the scientifically minded, the device uses Raman spectroscopy. In simple terms, the unit shines a laser light beam into the drink. Different chemicals (in this case drugs) reflect the light in different wavelengths, i.e. each drug has a specific "spectral fingerprint". This is measured by the unit and if a drug is present, you will be alerted.
For those less scientifically minded, do not worry. The device works right out of the box and is easy to use. You will not need to get a PhD in physics!
https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/drugfindr-danish-designed-protection-redefined-travel/x/1798414#/
Contact Prowling Dog at prowlingdog@protonmail.com
STATIONERY: Undated diaries
PD has written in the past about the virtues of a diary, however as many have realised, diaries tend to be rigid. Week in, week out. This can also make them bulky to carry. This is where as undated diary comes in.
An undated diary gives you flexibility. Some weeks are busy while others are not. Why carry it all with you? You can still keep a traditional diary on your desk, and when needed, carry a pocket-sized undated dairy. For a busy week or day, simply add the dates and fill in as required.
Essentially, you are carrying an abstract of your main diary. This leaves your mind uncluttered, allowing you to concentrate on the things that you have to do in a particular day or week.
For a truly pocket sized undated dairy, try the Calepino Weekly Planner.
The Octaevo A Year of Sun Undated Agenda Notebook is larger, A5-sized, but has PD's preferred vertical week-to-a-page format. It is available in yellow, orange and blue.
https://calepino.fr/en/product/weekly-planner/
http://www.octaevo.com/shop/index.php/a-year-of-sun-agenda-yellow-336.html
Contact Prowling Dog at prowlingdog@protonmail.com
GADGETS AND GEAR: Grim Workshop Sling Bow Card
In issue 155 PD wrote about the Grim Everyday Carry Zipper Micro Tool System, made by Grim Workshop. The Grim Workshop is a gadget lover's paradise. You could fill your pockets with what the folk there pack into a credit card-sized tool. Unlike other credit card tools, the tools can be replaced in the card after use.
The Sling Bow Card is a clever and particularly useful survival tool. PD has not previously come across anything like it. There are other arrowhead cards availabel however this one includes the bow!
https://www.grimworkshop.com/product-page/sling-bow-card
Contact Prowling Dog at prowlingdog@protonmail.com
BOOKS AND WRITING: The Adventures of Tintin
For those who grew up with Hergé's "The Adventures of Tintin", the Folio Society has published a slip-cased set of all original books, the last one of which was not completed.
The first Tintin story was published in 1929. The protagonist is a young Belgian boy and his dog Snowy.
http://www.foliosociety.com/book/TTN/tintin
For the curious: Hergé is the pen name used by the author. His real name is Georges Remi, born in Belgium in 1907 and passed on in 1983.
Contact Prowling Dog at prowlingdog@protonmail.com
PROJECT OF THE WEEK: Rumble Jar Cold Brew Coffee Made Simple
Cold brew coffee has become popular in recent times. Coffee drinkers claim that it tastes better. The taste of coffee is influenced by the region it is grown in, the roasting process and the brewing technique.
Traditionally, hot water is used. This not only dissolves the various chemical in the beans that give coffee its aroma and taste, but it also degrades them and allows them to oxidise, adding a bitter taste.
Generally, chemical reactions occur faster at higher temperatures, so using cold water slows down the degradation and oxidation process. The result is that cold brewed coffee does not have the bitter taste.
The downside is that all chemical reactions are slowed and cold brewed coffee has a subdued taste and aroma compared to traditional coffee.
The other thing to keep in mind is that while traditional coffee brews in seconds, cold brewing takes hours. The choice is yours - fuller flavour and a bitter taste or more subtle flavour without bitterness.
The Rumble Jar makes cold brewing very easy. Add coffee to the filter provided, add water to the jar, put on the lid, shake and put into the refrigerator. No grinders, measuring spoons or scales, no paper filters, no pods, no funnels, no science degree needed.
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/714464542/rumble-jar-cold-brew-coffee-made-simple
Contact Prowling Dog at prowlingdog@protonmail.com
Contact Prowling Dog at prowlingdog@protonmail.com
Important disclaimer: Remember that crowdfunding sites are not stores. You may decide to back this project and provide funds, however there is no guarantee that any project will be delivered - the rate of failure is about 10%. PD is in no way accountable for the success or otherwise of any project and writes in this column purely for entertainment purposes, and will in no way be held liable for any failure or money lost by anyone. It is a case of "buyer beware". It is a sad reflection on the era we live in that PD must resort to this type of disclaimer.
Note: Photographs and illustrations are from the relevant websites and are the copyright of the respective owners.
© 2017 Prowling Dog