PROWLING DOG: COOL THINGS: ISSUE 177

CONTENTS

Editorial: Untitled Book Launch.
Travel: George Psalmanazar's guide to Taiwan.
Technology: KableCARD.
Stationery: Principia’s 3 notebooks set.
Gadgets and Gear: PocketBands.
Books and Writing: Bears Want to Kill You.
Miscellaneous: Reissuing Isaac Newton’s Opticks.

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EDITORIAL: Untitled Book Launch

This week's PD is big on books, as a look at the contents will quickly reveal. PD asks, would you buy a book without a title and about which little is known? The answer is apparently yes, especially if this guy wants to sell it to you:

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Yes, Jonny Lynch is writing a book that, according to him, "...has everything, love, romance, sex." And a launch party in Dublin. The party is very important because, again in Jonny Lynch's words, "Who even reads books, right? They are just dead tree slices taking precious shelf space away from my cool anime figurines".

Book

So why is he doing this? To give a hand to an author that he thinks is taking an inordinate time to write his next book. So head over to his funny campaign page and get the low-down on it.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1394972232/untitled-book-launch?ref=discovery

Contact Prowling Dog at prowlingdog@protonmail.com


TRAVEL: George Psalmanazar's guide to Taiwan

Long ago people would go on expeditions and then make money by writing about their travels, such as Charles Montagu Doughty's Travels in Arabia Deserta, first published in 1888.

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[Above: Charles Montagu Doughty, unknown photographer; photogravure by Emery Walker.]

George Psalmanazar (c. 1679 – 1763) did something completely different. In order to make money he pretended to be a native visitor from Formosa (now Taiwan) and wrote a fantastic book about the island. There was only one problem - he was a Frenchman who had never visited Formosa and everything in the book is from his imagination. We do not even know his real name.

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[Above: George Psalmanazar, by Antérieur, 1763]

He wrote in detail everything about Formosa, about the people, their culture, their language and their money.

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He certainly fooled people, however Isaac Newton, seeing the celebrity, commented that he seemed to “look like a young Dutch-man”.

Read more in the Public Domain Review:
https://publicdomainreview.org/2018/04/18/made-in-taiwan-how-a-frenchman-fooled-18th-century-london/

Contact Prowling Dog at prowlingdog@protonmail.com


TECHNOLOGY: KableCARD

Just when you need to connect your phone or other electronic device, you realise that do not have a cable. Worse, with several types of plugs around you may have a cable, but its the wrong one. You will never be stuck again if you carry the KableCARD.

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This device has the foot print of a credit card, yet manages to allow almost any combination of ends for all kinds of devices. It even has a SIM card ejector pin and storage space for two SIM cards.

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Need more? When attached to power it acts as a wireless charger and, also when attached to power, acts as a light. It has a memory card reader. It can even be used as a stand.

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https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/156937076/kablecard-multi-functional-cable-essentials-for-yo/description

Contact Prowling Dog at prowlingdog@protonmail.com


STATIONERY: Principia’s 3 notebooks set

Kronecker Wallis is a small publisher that has published exqusite modern reissues of important works (see story in "Miscellaneous" below), including Isaac Newton's "Principia". For mathematics or science buffs, or anyone with even a passing interest in these subjects, Kronecker Wallis has also issued these cool notebooks based on the book. They come as a set of three.

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https://www.kroneckerwallis.com/product/principia-3-notebooks-set/

Contact Prowling Dog at prowlingdog@protonmail.com


GADGETS AND GEAR: PocketBands

Sometimes all that you want to carry is a key and your clothes do not have pockets. Think of when you go for a run or a swim. PocketBands solves the problem.

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This is an updated version with a clasp. A slit on the inside allows access to the pocket which will house small objects such as a key.

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Pocketbands come in several colours.

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After a successful Kickstarter campaign, PocketBands is now available on Indiegogo:

https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/pocketbands-3-0-hidden-pocket-wristband/x/1798414#/

Contact Prowling Dog at prowlingdog@protonmail.com


BOOKS AND WRITING: Bears Want to Kill You

You may not have heard of Ethan Nicolle, but he is the person behind Axe Cop and Bearmageddon. He has now written what he claims is "the first truly non-fiction book ever written".

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You will learn all about bears and how to survive if confronted by one.

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NOTE: PD is not an expert on bears, so he cannot vouch for the veracity of the information in the book, however he does believe that you will get a good laugh out of it. Ethan will even allow you to download the first two chapters for free. Some of the pledges will even list you as "Among the Fallen".

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/bearbook/bears-want-to-kill-you?ref=discovery

Contact Prowling Dog at prowlingdog@protonmail.com


MISCELLANEOUS: Reissuing Isaac Newton’s Opticks

Kronecker Wallis has featured on these pages before. This small printer publishes fine books. They are not merely copies or facsimiles but beautiful reissues in modern designs. The latest is Isaac Newton's seminal work, "Opticks".

Opticks
[Above: The First edition, 1704]

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[Above: The Kronecker Wallis reissue]

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[Above: The Kronecker Wallis reissue]

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1174653512/reissuing-isaac-newtons-opticks?ref=section_publishing_popular

https://www.kroneckerwallis.com/

Contact Prowling Dog at prowlingdog@protonmail.com


Contact Prowling Dog at prowlingdog@protonmail.com


Important disclaimer: Remember that crowd funding 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.

© 2018 Prowling Dog