CONTENTS
Editorial.
Travel:Moreea Island.
Technology: Alo Phone.
Stationery: St Valentine's Day.
Gadgets: BU bottle.
Books and Writing: The Chemical Wedding.
Project of the week: Jollylook.
EDITORIAL
PD has made a subtle change to the header to reflect what he is all about.
There are some questions that keep cropping up, among them is, "What is PD's real identity?" PD is the cool dog on the block. You have probably gleamed from his posts that he is a European dog, central European to be precise. He has even got his own email address (prowlingdog@protonmail.com), which is really cool for a dog. PD has many friends all over the world and loves to write. So sit back and enjoy this week's offerings from your friend, PD.
TRAVEL: Moreea Island
Recent posts have been about gadgets for travelers. PD thought that this week you may like to see a place to go to. Since it is cold and snowing, PD thought that you would like a bit warmth and sunshine. Moreea island, in French Polynesia, is ideal and, speaking of St Valentine's day, is popular for honeymoons. It is ten nautical miles from the main island of Tahiti and is accessible by boat or (a very small) plane from Papeete, the capital of Tahiti (PD recommends flying as the sea outside the coral reefs is very rough). If you have ever seen those old American second world war movies set in the Pacific you will have an idea of what the place is like. Beautiful palm beaches and warm water (as long as you stay on the island side of the reef).
What may surprise you is that the islands in the south pacific are mountainous and forested. A great place to unwind and warm up. The only problem is that it is far away, but not so for our Transatlantic friends. Now where is my travel agent's phone number?
TECHNOLOGY: Alo Phone
Occasionally PD likes to daydream. Today is such a day. PD really likes this concept cell phone. Just when every phone looks like the same old slab with a screen, Jerome Olivet gives us this natural resin-coated aluminium beauty.
The Alo phone still has two cameras but does away with the screen, instead using voice recognition and artificial intelligence to interact with you. It will probably never appear at your local store, but we can dream on. Next week PD will come back down to earth (maybe)!
STATIONERY: St Valentine's Day
Yes, it is almost here again. If you want a little bit of old fashioned romance, then the cards from Rifle Paper Co. will appeal to you. PD has previously featured the Rifle Paper Co. calendar (see PD issue 116) and these cards are up to the same high standard.
GADGETS: BU bottle
This stylish water bottle features a charcoal filter that traps chemicals such as chlorine from water. The charcoal is made from bamboo, which is readily renewable. Used filters can be buried in the garden to provide nutrients for your plants. The top is also made from bamboo and the bottle itself is from BPA-free co-polyester (a bisphenol-free plastic - see note below). The bottle is dishwasher safe and shatter resistant. BU supports charity: water, which helps provide clean water to communities that lack it. Additional filters are available for purchase from BU.
A note about bisphenols: Bisphenols are commonly used in plastics, including food containers and water bottles. They are released when the plastic is heated. Bisphenols have oestrogen-like hormone properties and although there is debate going on, they may have detrimental health effects.
BOOKS AND WRITING: The Chemical Wedding
"The Chemical Wedding by Christian Rosencreutz: A Romance in Eight Days" first appeared in 1616 with no author attributed, the events taking place in 1495. Later Johann Valentin Andreae (1586–1654) claimed to be the author. Although publications have used the erroneous title "The Chemical Wedding of Christian Rosenkreutz", it is in fact a royal wedding and Christian Rosenkreutz in reality assists in it and is not wedded. In this new version John Crowley corrects this in the title.
The wedding takes place over seven days, the eighth being the events on the day after, the description of which is truncated. Christian Rosencreutz, an honest older man, is invited by an angel to travel through a dangerous route to the castle to attend the wedding. This is not your usual wedding, not even by royal standards. As it turns out, Christian is one of several men summoned there. Having to undergo tests to prove their suitability for the task in assisting in the wedding, only nine are up to it. Christian witnesses amazing things and participates in death and resurrection by alchemy.
It is a great book. PD is fortunate to possess one of the limited edition cloth bound versions. This book is beautifully presented with plenty of interesting footnotes printed in red. Here is an excerpt.
The only flaw is the grammatical errors scattered throughout the book, unfortunately a plague in modern writing and publishing (and this cost the book a better paw rating).
PD rating: 4 paws out of 5.
PROJECT OF THE WEEK: Jollylook camera
From high tech (the Alo phone) to old technology. This looks like a lot of fun. Remember those old cameras with the concertina fronts? Well they are back, but this time providing instant photographs. And they look cute too!
Just like the old days. Pull out the camera and set it up. Do not forget about the view finder ("What is that?", PD hears you ask). Press the shutter button and wind using the lever, and out comes your photograph! The only nod to modernity is that the photographs are in colour. The camera is made from paper and uses Fujifilm “instax mini” instant film cartridges which are available worldwide.
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.
Contact Prowling Dog at prowlingdog@protonmail.com
© 2017 Prowling Dog