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Friday, May 18, 2007

NoseF= rida -=20 This Thing Really Sucks

One of the scariest things a parent can experience is when your child = cannot=20 breathe through their nose due to congestion from a cold or allergies. = Infants=20 rely on open nasal passages to be able to suckle a bottle and breathe at = the=20 same time. If their nose is clogged they cannot eat and both of you will = be=20 miserable.

Until recently the only way to attempt clearing out = your=20 baby=E2=80=99s nose was by way of a =E2=80=9Cbulb=20 syringe=E2=80=9D. The standard design has been around = unchanged for years, is=20 unreliable and really sucks! What was needed is something = that=20 really sucks (in a good way).

Leave it to the folks who brought us Ikea and the = Swedish=20 Beer Drinking Team to come up with a way to clean out your = baby=E2=80=99s nose in a=20 logical and controlled manner.

3DHomepicture1=20

Our 6 month old had an uncloggable nose. I searched = the=20 Internet hoping to find a logical solution to help him out and happened = upon the=20 NoseFrida website. This was = just what I=20 envisioned and sure enough it existed! NoseFrida is form and function in = simple=20 brilliance. All you do is place the end of the collection tube in the = baby=E2=80=99s=20 nose and the other end in your mouth. Now suck. Instant relief from = a=20 thankful baby. We give NoseFrida to everyone we know who has an = infant and=20 the positive reports keep coming in. I never thought that something = which sucked=20 so much would be so great.

NoseFrida is about = $20.00 shipped=20 anywhere in the USA. It pays for itself with just one use. = Remember:=20 Always check with YOUR doctor prior to using any medical device on your=20 child.

Posted by Dennis = Buettner 7:06:00 AM in Gadgets&nbs= p;

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"Dang= erous=20 Book for Boys Soars To Dizzying Heights"

Today's WSJ has an=20 interesting article on the publishing phenomenon that The=20 Dangerous Book For Boys has become. Here are some choice excerpts = from the=20 piece (free today, sub req'd later):

"Dangerous" has become the breakout hit of the season. The News=20 Corp. unit initially ordered up 91,000 copies. There are now = 405,000=20 copies in print. One senior HarperCollins executive, extrapolating = from=20 overseas sales and population data, projects that "Dangerous," which = lists for=20 $24.95, could sell as many as four million in the U.S.

The book, by English brothers Conn and Hal Iggulden, purports to = aim itself=20 at a particularly inscrutable and un-book-friendly audience: boys = around the=20 age of 10. It tries to answer the question: What do boys need to = know?

....

The unapologetic message is that boys need a certain = amount of=20 danger and risk in their lives, and that there are certain lessons = that need=20 to be passed down from father to son, man to man. The implication is = that in=20 contemporary society basic rules of maleness aren't being handed off = as they=20 used to be.

The book aims to correct that. It does so with a = pretelevision,=20 prevideogame sensibility, and also by embracing a view of gender that = has been=20 unfashionable in recent decades: that frogs and snails and puppy dogs' = tails=20 are more than lines in a nursery rhyme, and that boys are by nature = hard-wired=20 differently than girls.

But "The Dangerous Book for Boys" is also aimed at = boomer dads,=20 who nostalgically yearn for a lost boyhood of fixing lawn mowers and = catching=20 snakes with their fathers -- even if that didn't really happen as = often as=20 they think it did.

....

Paul Bogaards, an executive for rival publisher Bertelsmann AG's = Alfred A.=20 Knopf, says he took a copy home to his eight-year-old son, Michael, = whom he=20 describes as "junked up on Nick, Disney and Club Penguin," a Web site. = Mr.=20 Bogaards says Michael took to it immediately, demanding that his dad = test=20 paper airplanes into the night, even missing "American Idol." He adds: = "That's=20 the good news. The bad news is that he now expects me to build him a=20 treehouse." He concludes: "Million-copy-plus seller easy, with the = shelf life=20 of Hormel Spam."

....

Concerned that the book would seem too British, Collins asked the = authors=20 to adapt parts of it for U.S. readers. A section about royalty was = replaced by=20 the 50 states, American mountains and the Declaration of Independence. = Baseball's most valuable players and "How to Play Stickball" supplants = the=20 chapter on cricket. But rugby made the cut: it was tough, dangerous = and=20 better-known in the U.S. A "Navajo Code Talkers' Dictionary" = superseded=20 Britain's patron saints.

....

The gender-exclusive nature of "Dangerous" bothers some women. In a = posting=20 on the livejournal.com Web site, one woman, addressing the book and = boys in=20 general, wrote: "Here's a tip, kiddies: maybe the girls want to have = the same=20 kind of fun you do, instead of sitting around the house and learning = how to be=20 a servant."

Posted by Chris=20 Anderson 6:26:05 AM

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SideC= arrier=20 Makes Biking with Your Kid More Fun

My kids have graduated to their own bikes this past = year, but=20 before they got their own two wheels, they traveled next to me in a Char= iot=20 SideCarrier. Most bicycle child carriers put your kid behind you, = subject to=20 tires kicking up water, sand and gravel =E2=80=93 not to mention a = constant view of your=20 backside. And this is bonding time?

I found the SideCarrier at my local bike shop and fell in love. = I=E2=80=99d turned=20 over a lot of miles before we had our kids, but time constraints had = kept me out=20 of the saddle during their first couple of years. This was a chance to = get back=20 to turning the cranks and spending some time with the kids at the same = time.=20

The great thing about the SideCarrier was that it attached to the = side (more=20 on that in a second) and put the child on the business side of the bike. = I felt=20 more comfortable with my kid where I could see him/her and it made the = bike no=20 less maneuverable in most situations. It allowed us to make eye contact = and talk=20 while whistling down the avenue. I was able to experience their thrills = rolling=20 down hills =E2=80=A6 and be encouraged by their cheers heading back up = the other=20 side.

The carrier attaches to a hitch, which is mounted in front of the = bike=E2=80=99s=20 bottom bracket. (See photo for detail.) The hitch has certain space=20 requirements, which prevent it from being used on certain brands and = types of=20 bikes. There is a=20 short list of incompatible bikes on their site.

A three-point harness keeps your loved one safe and there is also a = full-time=20 screen (and fold-away clear rain guard) to keep the elements at bay. = Though not=20 included, there is a sleeve for a safety flag.

I really enjoyed the SideCarrier for carting my kids around town. It = provided=20 a unique experience for both of us. They still beg for rides in the = sidecar, but=20 they=E2=80=99ve grown too heavy for my tired legs.

Posted by Dave=20 Banks 5:00:00 AM in Outd= oor=20 Activities

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Friday, May 18, 2007

My = Bridge=20 Collapsed and I Feel Alright

Kevin's post a few weeks back (Model= Trains,=20 Forever) reminded me of something that I couldn't quite place my = finger on,=20 but which I was pretty sure might be of interest to other = GeekDad's. It=20 was the train simulator that kept bugging me. Finally, I remembered that = there=20 was a piece of simulator software mentioned in the fantastic activity = book, A=20 Lithgow Palooza. In the section on bridge activities, he = introduces a 3D=20 bridge construction software program from Chonic Logic called Pontifex II = (renamed to=20 the Bridge = Construction=20 Set).

The Bridge Construction Set (BCS) is basically a physics puzzle = engine. Each=20 stage presents a chasm that must be overcome with solid = engineering. Using=20 various materials, the player constructs a bridge to span the gap and = then runs=20 simulations to see if the bridge she created can hold up under load. The = earlier=20 stages run cars across your creation while later levels place heavier = loads such=20 as trucks and trains. If you are successful, the bridge doesn't = collapse=20 from poor design and survives its load. If you aren't, the = contraption=20 collapses embarrassingly into the chasm before or during the load = test. To=20 help make you more successful in your endeavors, the load on various = parts of=20 your bridge is color coded as stress points. If everything is fine = with a=20 section, it shows up as bright green, if not it strays towards yellow = and fails=20 at red. By repeatedly running simulations, and then using what = you've=20 learned to edit the design, you can take a experimental approach to=20 success. It's an addictive game, and I encourage everyone to at = least try=20 out the demo (available for Mac, Windows and Linux). If you like = it, it=20 will only set you back $19.95.

If you are interested in doing a little real world = bridge=20 building, the Makezine blog had = a great=20 podcast not too long ago about creating=20 and testing the strength of Popsicle stick bridges. Either way, I = think=20 these are great ways to introduce kids to the challenges (and fun!) of=20 engineering.

Posted by Jim=20 Jones 4:00:00 AM in Engineering=

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Fun = and Games=20 on your Fridge

3DLumipad Ah the fridge - custodian of beer, reminder of doctors' = appointments,=20 precious real estate for kids' paintings, where would we be without you? = Here=20 are some ideas for the unsung heroine in the corner of your kitchen.

The=20 Lumi Pad

This gadget is a magnetic flashing message board - you write on the = screen=20 with a 'special' pen and when switched on the writing flashes = insistently when=20 anyone approaches (it has a motion sensor). It's ideal for reminders, = and I=20 enjoy leaving messages for the family when I'm leaving for work & = they're=20 still napping. You can guarantee it'll be read as everyone visits the = fridge at=20 some point during the day! 3DTictactoe=20

Make your own fridge games

A while back I found some magnetic inkjet paper in a local craft = store.=20 Though a tad pricey it has loads of potential for fun. We used it to = send=20 photo-magnets with our birth announcement & thank you cards, and = with=20 imagination it's ideal for making your own magnetic games / jigsaws / = reward=20 charts / fridge=20 poetry / cow=20 print.

Here's a tic-tac-toe (that's noughts and crosses if you're in the UK) = game=20 made from photos in about 10 minutes - Kylie wins!

3DBottlecaps=20

Bottle-Cap Magnets

This is a simple but oddly addictive tip I picked up from the Make:=20 blog. Get hold of some circular magnets (bulk bags are very cheap on = ebay),=20 some bottle caps from your favourite beer or soda, add a few drops of = hot-glue=20 or sticky fixer pads and you're all set.

Lastly if you or the little inquisitors wonder how we kept stuff cool = before=20 fridges were invented, I'd highly recommend reading The=20 Frozen Water Trade by Gavin Weightman - it gives an excellent and = accessible=20 history of refrigeration.

Posted by Martin = Mander 2:07:00 AM in Gadgets, = Home=20 Improvement, How-To &= nbsp;

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Thursday, May 17, 2007

Geekd= ad=20 Synchronicity

Surfing around today, I had one of those connective moments that = turned on a=20 light-bulb (compact fluorescent) over my head. I found this nifty = ceiling=20 fan via Gizmodo:

=20

So, what if an enterprising Geekdad took some pictures they had = snapped at=20 the 2007 = Wings=20 of Freedom Tour , as per the earli= er=20 Geekdad post here:

And processed it through one of those photo-to-wallpaper printers = from the earli= er=20 Geekdad post here:

=20

Put the wallpaper made from a nose-on shot of a P40 on the ceiling, = with the=20 fan in the middle, and viola! It would be a very, very cool = bedroom. =20 I leave it for one of the membership to attempt this mash-up. =

Posted by Ken=20 Denmead 10:52:09 AM in Home=20 Improvement

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Tell Me=20 Why

"Why, Daddy?" is easily the most gratifying and = frustrating question=20 a child can ask, as any parent is (or soon will be) aware. As recent = Geekdad=20 posts have made clear, there are tons of resources out there for = answering basic=20 kid-type questions. The one I remember from my childhood is Arkady = Leokum's=20 Tell Me Why series, copies of which are still easy to find, and = still=20 useful in answering questions of basic science.

Leokum wrote a whole series of Tell Me Why books in the 60s, = starting with Tell Me Why, and moving through such descriptive, = if=20 uninspiring titles as More Tell Me Why, Still=20 More Tell Me Why, Yet Another Tell Me Why and so on. In = the mid-90s,=20 these books were republished (and, I believe, updated) in compendium = format,=20 three books to a volume, under the name The=20 Big Book of Tell Me Why.

Don't let the age of the books fool you. Though they're are out of = print, all=20 the titles -- especially the 90s editions -- are still readily=20 available from used booksellers. I recently bought a copy of the = first=20 updated volume recently, which answers basic questions ranging from "Why = does=20 the moon shine?" to "Why does soap clean?" to "How do spiders spin their = webs?"=20 It's just as sharp as I remember it. Certainly some few of the answers = might be=20 slightly out of date, but the basic science and history in the books, = along with=20 their simple illustrations and clear, concise, older-kid-friendly = writing will=20 never go stale. I suggest copies for all geekdads.

Posted by Brian=20 Little 10:33:29 AM in Books &n= bsp;

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Klutz= School=20 Benefit Day This Saturday in Palo Alto

As if the Maker = Faire this=20 weekend in San Mateo wasn't enough for Bay Area geekdads, there is also = the 12th=20 annual Klutz School = Benefit=20 Day on Saturday, May 19th, from 10am to 6pm in Palo Alto. If = you=20 aren't familiar with Klutz, they = are the=20 makers of all those cool spiral-bound do-it-yourself kits for kids that = you see=20 in toy stores.

Klutz will donate 101% of your purchase to the school of your = choice. =20 There will be entertainment from the Stanford Band, Prescott Circus, The = Mendicants, and Magic Mike, along with fun activities like face = painting.

The store is at 572 College Avenue, Palo Alto, CA = 94306.

Posted by Todd=20 Dailey 9:49:00 AM in Toys &nbs= p;

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More = Danger=20 for Boys

3D21ai59afb9l_aa_=20 Instapundit = interviewed the=20 author of the "The=20 Dangerous Book for Boys" that geekdads contributor Asha Dornfest reviewed= last=20 week.

We'll see how much danger we can encounter up at the lake over = Memorial=20 Day. Hmm, what are our options? Fire, Water, 4-wheelers, = Boats =20 A good enough start, we'll go from there.

Posted by Dan=20 Olson 9:08:37 AM in Books &n= bsp;

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Hydro= dynamic=20 Building Set

ThinkGeek has a truly awesome-looking Hydrodynamic = Building=20 Set for sale. At $90, it's a bit pricey for a toy, but can you = put a=20 price on your kids' education? And be honest, fellow GeekDads: = Wasn't one=20 of the reasons you had kids in the first place to have an excuse to buy = things=20 like this?

(Confidential to my wife: Ignore the last question. I only want = this=20 for the kids. Really.)

Posted by Matt=20 Blum 7:52:00 AM in Toys &nbs= p;

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Why = Knots? The=20 Retro GeekDad's Guide to Ropework

Rope technology is nearly as old as civilization and is = one of=20 those things we usually take for granted. But without ropes, cables, = cords,=20 yarns, threads, and strings much of our modern life would be very = different.=20 Sure, you can suspend a bridge with metal rods and mend your torn = clothes with=20 staples (if you really want to), but would you even have clothes to mend = without=20 the strong, flexible fibers from which their fabric is woven? Admit it, = fig=20 leaves went out of style millenia ago.

We start teaching our children about practical rope work at a tender = age when=20 we teach them to tie their shoes. It's a major developmental step; tying = knots=20 requires a number of manual and mental skills to be applied in unison to = be=20 successful. That's why kids' early efforts at shoe tying lead to tears = of=20 frustration. But we keep them at it because it's something they need to = know.=20 Eventually they master it.

One of the biggest challenges in tying knots is visualization - = seeing in our=20 mind's eye where this piece of rope is supposed to go, and what the = final=20 product should look like. Knots in general are hard to visualize because = the=20 ropes that form them are all curves; there are almost no corners or = straight=20 lines to provide visual reference points. Furthermore, the process of = tying a=20 knot is dynamic, almost fluid. It doesn't lend itself to being = documented with a=20 few photographs. Even in Scouting, where rope work has been taught for = decades,=20 the manuals rely on photographs and a written description of each knot. = It takes=20 a lot of knowledge of knots to learn a new one - and that's = frustrating.

That's where Animated Knots = by=20 Grog comes in. This site shows dozens of knots in full color photos = using=20 different colored cords where appropriate, explaining what each is used = for and=20 how to tie it. The images are presented in a unique user interface that = can be=20 played as an animation, stepped through frame-by-frame, or viewed as = static=20 images - all by rolling your mouse over a row of buttons. It's not a = video with=20 fast-forward and rewind buttons, it's more like a computerized = flip-book.

Grog's knots are collected into broad application categories: = boating,=20 climbing, fishing, Scouting, search and rescue, household, decorative, = and=20 another section on rope care. Some knots are shown in several = categories. For=20 example, climbing and search and rescue use the same knots because their = activities are very similar. Grog's also lists a number of knots that = are more=20 appropriate for modern synthetic ropes such as nylon and polyethylene = that are=20 too slippery for the Boy Scouts' basic eight knots.

If you and your children plan to do any activities involving ropes - = camping,=20 mountaineering, or just tying your luggage on top of the car for a trip = to the=20 lake - start with a few minutes learning how to tie the proper knots. = But once=20 you do, sleep with one eye open -- your kids may decide to practice = their knots=20 on you one night!

Posted by Dave=20 Hinerman 7:19:00 AM in How-To &= nbsp;

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Robot= s and=20 Monsters

I found this wonderful link (or link to a link) while browsing around = this=20 morning. What a great gift for your kids, and perhaps a way to = introduce=20 them to both art and charity.

From U= ncrate:

Robots and=20 Monsters ($25-$40) is an effort by artist Joe Alterio to raise = money for=20 the San Francisco AIDS = Foundation,=20 as well as the Pangea Foundation, = which=20 helps fight AIDS worldwide. For a donation of $25, you get a 6" x 6" = signed=20 piece of art, featuring a monster or robot, or both for $40. Joe bases = your=20 piece on three words that you provide, such as "Green, tentacle,=20 airplane."

Posted by Ken=20 Denmead 7:04:35 AM in Art =

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More = Great=20 Games: Batik Kid

Batik=20 Kid is a simple and fast puzzle game for anyone = joining us in the=20 "anything-but-candyland" club. The object is to stack critters into a = small=20 aquarium that is not big enough to hold them all. First person to get a = fish out=20 of water loses. The sea creature pieces make for some entertaining = debates=20 about whether sharks eat urchins (turns out they do!) = and if=20 jellyfish eat snails (they=20 also do, and vice versa!).

Did I mention it was fast? Each match takes no more than a = couple of=20 minutes to play. You can ignore the 5+ on this one, as my 3 = year=20 old had no problems beating me.

Posted by Don=20 Shump 5:00:00 AM in Board=20 Games

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Rock = Star=20 Smackdown: Sid Vicious Whipped by Devo Frontman

I don't think the Sex Pistols' Sid Vicious ever met Devo's Mark = Mothersbaugh=20 and I can pretty much guarantee the two never duked it out. With Sid's = long-term=20 status (deceased), it will never happen. But the whole sorry scene = was=20 played out in my office by my daughter using the appropriate action = figures.=20 She's not normally prone to violent interactions, but I didn't want any = part of=20 a new waver meets punker meets Little Pets for shopping scenario, and = these guys=20 were cast in poses that don't really reflect playing an instrument so = much as=20 participating in an ultimate fighter match, so...

I think = collectibles,=20 action figures -or dad's dolls, as Natasha irreverently refers to them- = can be a=20 part of the equation posed by Mark in his What = Is=20 Geek posting. If not a requirement to being a Geek, they do = seem to be=20 a common accessory; just squint at the background of any photo of a Geek = in=20 their lair. My kids are fascinated by these things, but being kids = they=20 could really care less about the story or the significance behind any = one of=20 them; they just want to play. They mix them up so the characters = interact=20 with each other in ways that never occurred in real life, or their = respective=20 movies or comics. =20

I actually agree with the kids for the most part and that's why = whenever I=20 buy an action figure (or "doll"), I take it out of the box and set it=20 free. Serious collectors shudder at the thought, but if you can't = have fun=20 with something, what's the point? They do have to stay in my = office- being=20 a collectible as opposed to a toy, certain manufacturing safety rules do = not=20 have to be observed (ie., lots of small, pointy parts).

A dead giveaway that this battle was scripted by a child- you = will note=20 from the photo montage that, while Vicious was on the losing end of the=20 fisticuffs, afterward they quickly made up and he was made an honorary = member of=20 Devo. They probably adopted a Little Pet afterward, but I turned off the = camera.=20

Posted by Brad=20 Moon 4:41:39 AM

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Wednesday, May 16, 2007

Launc= hing a 3=20 Person Rocket Stroller

My wife IS pregnant AGAIN after giving = birth to=20 twins about 9 months ago. I soon realized that someone is gonna have to = move=20 three little humans around in a very efficient manner, and that someone = is me.=20

Since we already have a couple of decent twin = strollers which=20 were easy finds I figured that tracking down a GeekDad triple stroller = shouldn=E2=80=99t=20 be all to difficult. Boy was I wrong!

I quickly learned that there were only a few = readily=20 available choices. (As a back story, triple strollers are available in = two=20 variations. Side by side and inline. Most inline twins strollers have = small=20 plastic wheels as do the side by side. The twin jogger strollers = normally have=20 large rubber tube wheels. Good rule of thumb is that =E2=80=9Cthe larger = the wheels, the=20 more useful the stroller=E2=80=9D. However =E2=80=9Cthe larger the = wheels, the more difficult=20 the stroller is to compact and stow in your vehicle.=E2=80=9D) Back to = the choices for=20 triple strollers. I pored over the usual sites, Froogle,=20 Babycenter.com, Babies R Us and Epinions.com.=20 They all had the same brands and styles all of which were side by side = with the=20 exception of a couple of very ungainly looking inline models. Each had a = sizable=20 price tag into the multiple hundreds of dollars. I tried to envision = maneuvering=20 them in and out of shopping malls, food stores and then onto trails and = the=20 beach. No way was this going to be an easy task for me let alone my wife = and I=20 was going to have to buy a vehicle larger than my Ford Explorer to carry = the=20 triple stroller.

Rather than making this post into a comparison of = triple=20 strollers, I=E2=80=99ll just say that all the sudden I began to think = that I would have=20 to submit to the mediocrity of poor design, form and function. As a = diversion, I=20 surfed over to Craigslist.com = to search=20 for beer related items in my area. I typed in =E2=80=9Ctriple = stroller=E2=80=9D and one entry=20 popped up (without a photo). Normally I don=E2=80=99t even click on a = posting without a=20 pic, but something drew me to the posting. It was the possibility of = buying a=20 sub par triple stroller for a Craigslist price. As I read the = description I=20 realized that I was not seeing the same words that were common to the = normal=20 strollers. What the heck is a Runabout?

3D501617759_95c2dd3504_m1_2=20

My dad and I drove 15 miles to the owner=E2=80=99s = home. After some=20 small talk, we paid our money, thanked them and went on our way. The = seller=20 called out at the last moment, =E2=80=9COne last thing. Add an extra = hour to whatever=20 you do with the stroller. =E2=80=9C I leaned my head out of the truck = and asked him to=20 explain. He told me that the Runabout is so cool and unique that you = will have=20 people stopping you all the time to talk about it and your children. No = problem=20 there. It is always fun to have people tell you that your children are = cute.

We renamed our Runabout =E2=80=9CThe Rocket!=E2=80=9D figuring = that this name would=20 sound better than =E2=80=9Cbaby stroller=E2=80=9D to future 4 year olds. = Our first test flight=20 was throughout the 200 year old streets of historic=20 Annapolis, Maryland.

3D501617651_cdc2fc8967_m1_2=20

I easily pulled The Rocket off the hitch extender and it landed on = the=20 sidewalk. I clicked the twins in with a 5 point harnessing system. (One = of the=20 cool geeky parts of the The Rocket is that the seats are Bell=20 brand children=E2=80=99s bicycle seats which normally are attached = behind the seat of an=20 adult bicycle. The inventor created a carriage system for off the shelf=20 items.)

I setup the canopy and the sun shade which completely removes the = babies from=20 direct and indirect sunlight. I attached the safety leash and off we = went.

We didn=E2=80=99t get more than 20 feet before the = comments started.=20 Walk bys with people saying =E2=80=9Ccool=E2=80=9D , = =E2=80=9Cawesome=E2=80=9D and =E2=80=9Cdid you see that?=E2=80=9D became = commonplace. As we effortlessly traversed broken sidewalks and = cobblestone well=20 wishing and friendly people started to talk to us. Since we are both = pretty type=20 =E2=80=9CA=E2=80=9D it=E2=80=99s no problem. The previous owner was = correct however. At least 15=20 people spoke with us in 3 hours.

We have been using The Rocket for the last couple = of months=20 and it never fails to impress us. After the pony ride, it was the next = favorite=20 at a 5 year old=E2=80=99s birthday party. We are the = 3^rd owners of The=20 Rocket and it looks and acts brand new. It is a worthwhile investment = and when=20 we sell it, we will certainly get all of our money back. =

List price = from Berg Design = with all=20 the included accessories is about $1200.00 new, but the Craigslist price = was=20 $300.00. It is 24" wide and can seat children up to about 40+ pounds and = is=20 available in 2-6 seaters. The owner is making us a newborn car seat = adapter for=20 The Rocket.

Update #1 - = The Rocket has=20 ample storage between the rear wheels. It can easily hold our secondary = diaper=20 bag and a day's supply of toys, food and water.=20 DB

Posted by Dennis = Buettner 10:39:19 PM in Gadgets&nbs= p;

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How=20 [Everything] is Made

One of the pleasures of being a dad is seeing the satisfied nod of=20 understanding on your child's face after you've instantly answered their = question. I think my kids think I know everything, which is why nothing = rattles=20 me more than when they poke through my omniscience. My 4-year-old = recently came=20 up with this stumper: "Daddy, how do you make popcorn?" Popcorn?! = In-between our=20 discussions about the ideal conditions for fossilization of dinosaur = bones, and=20 the details of periodic extinctions, popcorn?! Yes, it was the kernels=20 themselves he was asking about. I think a bit of drool formed as I = stumbled=20 through an answer. My furious search for information on the manufacture = of that=20 tasty treat, however, eventually let me to a full arsenal of Geekdad = ammo at the=20 site How Products Are = Made.

This site is a treasure trove of content covering, well, just about=20 everything. As the site boasts, it

explains and details the manufacturing process of a wide variety of = products, from daily household items to complicated electronic = equipment and=20 heavy machinery. The site provides step by step descriptions of the = assembly=20 and the manufacturing process (complemented with illustrations and = diagrams).=20

And for the Geekdad looking for some good reverse-engineering = projects:

Each product also has related information such as the background, = how the=20 item works, who invented the product, raw materials that were used, = product=20 applications, by-products that are generated, possible future = developments,=20 quality control procedures, etc.

There was the article I needed on popcorn, = complete with=20 geeky stats. (60 percent of popcorn produced is consumed in the home!) = In=20 addition to such heavenly knowledge, a comprehensive list of short = biographies=20 of famous inventors, and not-so-famous inventors of famous inventions, = rounds=20 out the selection quite nicely. An essential link for the Geekdad to = tuck away=20 and have at the ready.

Posted by = Vincent=20 Janoski 11:19:31 AM in Web =

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The = Ultimate=20 Slip and Slide?

Kids can't spend all summer hacking up cool projects and mastering = the latest=20 video game, there has to be some splashy fun around our yard when the = weather=20 starts getting warm. I'm not about to shell out $600 for this version of = the=20 ultimate slip and slide, but the kids and I are sure lusting over this = picture=20 of the Banzai = Falls Twin Blast Rapids waterslide. (If anyone decides to pop for = this baby,=20 please invite us over.) Just think, every day could be a birthday = party...

Posted by Bruce=20 Stewart 9:03:40 AM in Outd= oor=20 Activities, Toys &nbs= p;

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Mothe= r's Day=20 pancakes

Inspired by the Instructables=20 posting on pancakes, the kids and I made them special for Mother's=20 Day. We mixed the batter with food coloring and had to hurry when = GeekMom=20 came downstairs earlier than expected.

I love making pancakes with my kids. I've added food coloring in the = batter=20 to make eyes, a nose, a mouth, and eyebrows so they would have a smiling = clown=20 face at the breakfast table. Some weekends, if we had it in the = house, I'd=20 add a touch of whipped-cream for hair or a mustache.

My younger two children (ages 8 and 5) = still like=20 making the clown faces. My oldest daughter (14) and son (11) are = more=20 interested in eating breakfast rather than looking at = it =E2=80=93=20 besides, they're typically sleeping when pancakes are being = made... This=20 weekend was extra special with mixing red and blue food coloring for the = purple=20 we used to make flowers, stars, planets, squiggles, and a space alien (I = think)=20 while following the Instructables posting..

=20 =

We were having fun and getting the = hang of it=20 when GeekMom popped into the kitchen unannounced. We scrambled to = cover=20 the pancake-batter writing we were working on with plain batter so she = couldn't=20 see and ruin the surprise.

Our creations didn't come out perfect = (you know=20 what I was trying to write with batter - letters came out backwards and = such),=20 but it's just another reason to try this again some Saturday morning in = the=20 future.

=20