http://www.cloudymind.com Sun, 29 Jun 2008 18:28:40 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en I was a photojournalism student at the University of Missouri in the early '90s when I discovered the Leica M. In contrast to the massive steel Canon and Nikon bricks we all used at the time, Leicas were small, elegant and unimposing. Image from a fantastic New Yorker article on ... http://www.cloudymind.com/2008/05/25/an-elph-is-my-new-leica-bicycle/ My beloved Leatherman Charge Ti I'm 'that guy.' You know, the guy in the office you find if you need a knife, a screwdriver or a pair of piers. I'm the dude everyone calls 'MacGyver' (both in that jokey to-your-face way and, I'm sure, in that creepy behind-your-back way). My boss ... http://www.cloudymind.com/2008/05/17/multi-multi-tools/ I carry my Fenix light in my front pocket, but I found it was constantly shifting around and bothersome. More worryingly, I went to use it one day and found it was extremely dim. After examining the light, I found a dime had wedged perfectly into the bezel, completely covering ... http://www.cloudymind.com/2008/03/29/fenix-pocket-holster/ (image from wikipedia) Our next instrument of non-destruction is, well, an instrument (or close enough that I can’t be bothered to come up with a better witty introduction). Shure describes the model SM58 microphone as a “unidirectional (cardioid) dynamic vocal microphone is designed for professional vocal use in live performance, sound ... http://www.cloudymind.com/2008/03/02/cheap-and-bombproof-the-shure-sm58-microphone/ The rare ingredient required to supply the ‘bombproof’ part of our equation is extreme durability testing. Since this is invariably difficult, time-consuming and expensive, we must plum the depths of esoteric fanaticism, following where ever it may lead. The “flashlight-nut” subculture illuminated earlier can’t hold a candle (sorry, pun allotment ... http://www.cloudymind.com/2008/03/01/cheap-and-bombproof-the-glock-pistol/ Another flashlight geek managed to inadvertently test the durability of a cheap Fenix flashlight… Fenix and the Ultimate Drop Test For those of you wondering just how tough the new Fenix L1P is, I found out today. I was working on top of an elevator in ... http://www.cloudymind.com/2008/03/01/cheap-and-bombproof-more-fenix-flashlight-goodness/ (image from the shockingly mixed review on everythingusb.com)Seldom (as in never) have I put finger to keyboard with the sole intent of bashing a lowly computer input device. However, I feel it is my duty as a mammal with hands to warn the world about the ergonomic evil that is ... http://www.cloudymind.com/2008/02/23/this-is-most-vile-computer-input-device-ever-conceived/ I’ve been thinking about and collecting material on this idea for years, and I’ll be posting more of these regularly here as I have time. Check back occasionally… If you’re hungry for more now, check out this thread I started on ask.metafilter. http://www.cloudymind.com/2008/02/23/cheap-and-bombproof-a-little-morefor-now/ The Top Gear Toyota Hilux (image from carpages.co.uk) The ethos of “cheap and bombproof” could be grocked almost completely by contemplating the humble Toyota pickup truck. Across the world, for decades, the inexpensive Toyota truck has been the unofficial official vehicle of the rural Third-world, as well as second and first world ... http://www.cloudymind.com/2008/02/23/cheap-and-bombproof-the-toyota-pickup-truck/ It may be pushing the bounds of incredulity to call the Fenix P3D flashlight ”cheap” at $65, but if you compare it to the gold-standard light of similar size and function, the Surefire U2 at $275, it’s a positive steal. Another point of ‘cheapness’ (as if I had to ... http://www.cloudymind.com/2008/02/23/cheap-and-bombproof-fenix-p3d-flashlight/