Stork Messenger / Diaper Bag

The Stork Messenger bag from Timbuk2 is "the diaper bag for people who don’t want to carry a diaper bag". My wife and I are expecting our first in just a few weeks and finding a diaper bag that we both like has been anything but easy. Most of them look like oversized purses, or else are shy on pockets and much…

LEGO Batman: The Batmobile Ultimate Collectors’ Edition

Just because it's recommended for ages 10 - 14 years, doesn't mean grown men can't also buy a box of LEGOs. This ultimate collector's edition of the Batmobile is like the cousin to the ride in Tim Burton's Batman films. This LEGO set is not too full of "specialty" pieces, and so it keeps with the best of LEGO tradition of building…

Kone Stainless Steel Coffee Filter for Chemex

There are two advantages to using a stainless steel coffee filter: (a) it's reusable; and, (b) it allows more of the oils from your brewed coffee to find their way into your cup. The Kone coffee filter fits 6-, 8-, and 10-cup Chemex coffee makers. It was designed by Coava (pronounced ko-vuh) Coffee Roasters in Portland, Oregon, and seeks to save you…

Hawaii, The Big Island Revealed: The Ultimate Hawaii Guidebook

My wife and I were fortunate enough to spend nearly two weeks on The Big Island of Hawaii last spring. And this book was our tour guide. In fact, it was better than a tour guide because we could fit the book in our backpack and explore the Big Island just the two of us. Hawaii, The Big Island Revealed, has information…

Featured Sponsor: Scrivener

My thanks to Scrivener for being this week's featured sponsor on Tools & Toys. Writing a book or research paper is about more than hammering away at the keys until it's done. Research, shuffling index cards to find that elusive structure — most software is only fired up after much of the hard work is completed. Enter Scrivener, a content-generation tool that…

Wacom Inkling

Wacom is well known for their tablets, which designers all across the globe use for creating digital sketches with their PCs. However, for those who draw and like to do creative work freehand, paper is the default medium. And the Wacom Inkling is a new device that brings the two together. A sensor clips on to the top of your page, and…

AeroPress Stainless Steel Coffee Filter

When you buy an AeroPress it comes with a pack of paper micro-filters. These work fine and are easily disposable. However, for something different, there is this stainless steel AeroPress disk. The disk is reusable and has ultra-micro perforations so that only water gets through the filter, even when brewing a super-fine espresso grind. Many people prefer the flavor that stainless steel…

The JHS Panther, Analog Delay Pedal

I'm a drummer, so I don't know too much when it comes to guitar pedals, but I do know that analog provides a very different tone and effect than digital. And so this brand-new analog delay pedal, the Panther, is something special. The internal circuit board was custom designed and each pedal is made by hand in the USA.

The Help

Another one of Anna's and my favorite movies from 2011 was The Help. The movie is well directed, well written, and well acted. It's based on the bestselling novel by Kathryn Stockett, and it tells the story of the tensions and difficulties between housewives and maids in the small town of Jackson, Mississippi during the 1960s. (Also available on iTunes.)

Moneyball

Based on a true story about the Oakland A's, spreadsheets, and the business of baseball, Moneyball is a great film. Brad Pitt and Jonah Hill are fantastic together; it's no doubt why they are nominated for the Golden Globe awards of best actor and best supporting actor respectively. (Also available on iTunes.)

Featured Sponsor: HelpSpot and Open Source Help Desk List

At HelpSpot we're big supporters of open source software and simply couldn't run our business without it. So, 6 years ago we created Open Source Help Desk List to assist companies looking for an open source help desk software solution. It's success has been beyond our wildest expectations; serving as an invaluable tool for thousands of companies to find the solution they…

The Malcolm Gladwell Hardcover Collection

Malcolm Gladwell's 3 books, The Tipping Point, Blink, and Outliers, have sold more than 10 million printed copies combined (I know I own all three). They have been redesigned to include color illustrations throughout the books, and they have been repackaged into hardcover box set that sports gray cloth binding and foil stamping.

Small Square Leather Trays

Tired of losing your keys between sleeping and waking? Is your office desk a mess with trinkets sprinkled all over the place? These small square leather trays would make for a classy and useful holding pen for all your miscellaneous stuff. Like your keys, wallet, cufflinks, and monocular. They measure 5 inches square and come in three different shades to match your…

Featured Sponsor: The Master of Information Systems Management degree from Carnegie Mellon University

Carnegie Mellon University's Master of Information Systems Management (MISM) degree with a Business Intelligence and Data Analytics (BIDA) concentration is developing an elite set of graduates cross-trained in business process analysis and skilled in predictive modeling, GIS mapping, analytical reporting, segmentation analysis, and data visualization. Students in the MISM-BIDA program acquire the skills to integrate cutting edge information and analytic technology practices…

“The Reckoning” Album by NEEDTOBREATHE

This new-to-me band, NEEDTOBREATHE is led by two brothers whose father was a preacher. The lyrics and melodies sound like a southern gospel rock band and are full of heart and soul. The music is engaging and teases you to keep turning it up just a little bit louder and a little bit louder. (Also available on Amazon.)

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