Blog is on pause, but please do enjoy my tweets :)

Biomimic mechanisms and ecology

While searching mechanisms with biomimicry, I ran into Better by Design - innovation guide. It has interesting examples and has a reasonable set of tools for analysing products ecolocical impact. It also features a lists of restricted materials, bio-materials, green fabrics and alternative flame retardants.
Via Treehugger Via Minnesota Pollution Control Agency

Check also how some American Federal Agencies are "leading by example" on their site for best practices Federal sustainability

Church bells of Konevitsa monastry

I found today an forgotten gem from my favorites, and started to share the story to my foreign friend:

The gem was Church bells of Konevitsa by Piirpauke. -The melody literally comes from the church bells: At the time when lake Laatokka still was part of Finland, there were some musicants living around the lake. And at still summer evenings they could hear the bells from monestary of Konevitsa island. Musicants started to follow the sound by Kantele and turned it into a folkmusic.

And pretty well it came out even on modernized(1975;) version. -At least I can really easily picture the lake shore while listening..

Even more modern version is made by Finnish metal band, Sentenced on 2002.

Live MSN to to your S60 phone


I have boosted earlier about Fring. -Despite the obvious advantadges there's still some annoyances in Fring, so the use has been less than I expected. -Today I read from Tero Lehto's blog that Live Messenger is available for S60 phones.

I haven't tested it yet, but I waiting a lot. -After all there's Nokia and Microsoft behind this, so there's probably no 3rd party complications..
Via: Mobiili- ja PDA-blogi, Symbianv3.com

Bank card + own photos



Pictures in bank cards. -That's an old story. Even using your own pictures doesn't sound so sexy anymore.
But I wouldn't have imagined it to be this easy and enjoyable.
The only problem is that which picture should I choose.. -How many cards would I actually need ;)

Perfect evening at lake Inari


Posted from N73 through Flickr
First evening was still, warm and absolutely No mosquitos. In the morning it was raining slightly, but it doesn't really matter while paddling. -You end up getting wet anyway.

The lake itself is remote, quiet and complex with all it's islands. Great place for kayaking and camping. The water is really good and clear even on finnish scale.

Flexible polymer armour for sports

Hilavitkutin wrote recently about a polymer developed by d3o that is flexible until you hit it. In that case it hardens instantly and in this case protects you body.
-I would like to have that kind of stuff on my knees next time I go off-piste. -I would be great if it could support joints in similar manner, only when you need it.

Headset interface


When I wrote about the headset wires I got a hunch that I had a sketch in my bedside notebook about how the interface could be used through shirt or jacket.
Still I might prefer one which would be U-shaped and would come out-and-front from the collar. Never the less, now after I searched the pic, here you go..

Headset wiring


I bought a Nokia HS-20 headset, a really enjoyable purchase. Especially the plugs fit into my ears perfectly and shut a lot of noise out. -Should try them today in night-train instead of normal plugs..

It's just that the wires in the headsets are so incomprehensible. You need to keep the microphone near you mouth and that creates a fair length of extra wire near your neck. With this kind of miniplugs you wouldn't need the connector behind your neck. My headset lacked the connector, but even with that, the wires would bee too long.

-I wish there was a place for extra length or the wires would be adjusted to this use. And am I really the only one who want's to lead the wire under my shirt, because there's no headset that allows it properly?

Nokia and Outlook calenders and holidays

Today we were talking about placing appointments accidently on public holidays.
Nowadays you can live your life based only on virtual calendars. I think MS should provide local calendars for Outlook, so that at least holidays would be marked, preferably also other calendar information.
My colleague brought up the the way how traditional calendars are sold to different target groups and the thing is, there could be 3rd party providers for different kind of calendar items. -Outlook might actually start to look more attracting and inviting, rather than _the_ dull office application.

Airport security checks

This morning I managed myself through security check really fast. There has been times that it takes several minutes with all the gear. Somehow I would feel it less invading if there was a line for naked passangers and another for the gear and clothes.
This morning I dropped some coins below the conveyor. It reminded me a lot how harsh Finland can be for foreigners. Nobody moved to help in a situation which was basicly caused by 'service provider'.
I still remember how they handled the situation in Osaka airport security check when I forgot that I was using metal enforced shoes: They really made me feel it wasn't my fault. They offered me a pair of slippers on a plate and were quite sorry that they needed to scan my shoes. It made me laugh, but since - finnish security check has seriously lacked some service attitude.

The small plastic bags seem to be also really Required. The point is that people want to bag their liquids, and staff want's to see them. -So if I have a single bottle of liquid, why is it nescessary to bag that into a plastic bag? -That's regular stuff too..