NAILED IT
This bottle opener is essentially a nice piece of genuine New
Zealand rimu wood with a (genuine New Zealand) nail bashed
through it. It also has a couple of magnets snuck into it, so it
will stick on the fridge awaiting your bottle, then hold onto
your bottle cap. thecleverdesignstore.com MO2018: YEAR OF THE MOON
Pity the moon. For millennia it was central to our lives:
ancient seafarers monitored it to determine the tides in enemy
territory; the faithful of all walks used it to mark religious
festivities; and before electricity, everyone relied on it to see at
night. Then Neil Armstrong went and put his footprint on it,
and the moon started to lose its pale white sheen. We think
it’s due for a comeback, so we created a 2018 lunar calendar.
Turn to page 96 and you’ll be uttering phrases like “the
waxing gibbous phase of the synodic month” in no time. SJ
THE SCIENCE OF
DRINKING WHISK Y
Drinking alcohol can be fraught with
danger, in that you can look like a
bit of a wanker if you buy into every
affectation spouted by so-called
connoisseurs. Let Björn Karlsson and
Ran Friedman of Linnæus University,
Sweden, clear at least one thing up for
you: yes, your Scotch does taste better
with a splash of water. To put it in
terms somebody a few drams in can
understand, the scientists identified
a compound called guaiacol, which
contributes to the spirit’s characteristic
smoky flavours. Add a little water and
its molecules can rise up above the fug
of ethanol. Slàinte to science. KDSLEEP IN A CINCH
Until someone invents an on-demand banana lounge delivery service
(Uber Seats?), the hammock will remain the pinnacle of our portable
reclining technology. Comfier than a deflated air mattress and easier to
lug around than a camping chair, the rope-and-blankie is the ultimate
in outdoor seating. This one from Aussie brand Ghost Outdoors is
essentially a bed that packs down into a lightweight bag the size of
your hand. With one of these conveniently stowed about your person,
you can be the envy of your fellow campers as you spend no more time
vertical than is strictly necessary. ghostoutdoors.com BM
CUCKOO BLOCK
Once upon a time, having a little bird emerge from your
clock on the hour was a way of telling people you were rich.
Times have changed, however, and with more people living
in apartment blocks than Black Forest cottages, a classic has
been contemporised. Happily for braggarts, the price of
Guido Zimmermann’s ‘Cuckoo Blocks’ means having
one in your home still tells visitors you’re minted.
guidozimmermann-art.com TL