A wireless world

I’m becoming convinced that in the very near future, within my lifetime for sure, there will be very few products that have wires. Wireless data transfer is already very good and getting better. Things aren’t quite to the point where high-definition video can be streamed real-time over wired connections, and doing so wirelessly is still some time away. So until then, you’ll need to keep a cable running from your computer to your television if you want streaming real-time. But progress is being made, and I suspect that within ten years or so most every data transfer will be possible over wireless connections.

The big hurdle is, of course, power. No matter how great your home wireless connection, you still need to plug your laptop in from time to time. There have been some preliminary techonologies that allow very short-range power feeds via magnetic induction. But now a company has stated that within a couple of years they will have a commercial product that can supply power from several feet away. Set up a few of these in your house, and you might never need a plug again. I can imagine an iPhone, 3 or 4 generations from now, that has no external plug at all. All power and data needs would be supplied wirelessly. Now that’s the future!

Funny names of popes

• Pope Hyginus (AD 136-140). He was the cleanest pope up to that time.
• Pope Hilarius (AD 461-468). Despite what you'd think, he actually had very little sense of humor.
• Pope Gelasius (AD 492-496). Known primarily for having invented Italian ice cream.
• Pope John XXIII (1958-1963). Seriously, dude. There were 22 other popes before you named "John." Maybe it's time to come up with something new.
• Pope Lando (AD 913-914). Lando's not a system... he's a pope.

The Fortune Cookie Chronicles: Adventures in the World of Chinese Food

The Fortune Cookie Chronicles: Adventures in the World of Chinese Food by Jennifer 8 Lee

My review

rating: 4 of 5 stars
I never thought there could be a book this interesting about Chinese food. Lee's ability to relate Chinese cuisine in America to how Chinese themselves have integrated into our society had me enthralled. Her basic premise is that Chinese food is more American than apple pie. Think of it this way: which have you eaten more often? She analyzes every aspect of Chinese food: the true (and surprising) origins of fortune cookies, how soy sauce is used, where General Tso came from, and even how the ubiquitous Chinese food delivery box was developed. This book is highly recommended for anyone with an interest in Asian food and cuisine, especially as both are related to and defined by American culture.


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