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I use the Post-It program to write down all my to do things. It's actually one of the most useful programs out there... at least in my opinion

C|Net list the price as being US$1070 - 1337, with the basic price near US$1160.

When you consider that you're going to need to get a second video card, if you don't already have on lying about, just buying a 23" LCD (about 1920x1200) seems like a much better solution.

I'm guessing that someone has probably come up with a VESA compliant mount for two screens, or if they haven't, you could probably make your own from an existing base, a bit of sheet steel, a drill, and a few screws ... and then you'd be able to just recycle existing monitors.

Of course, the real issue the is stability of the base ... how high is the center of gravity, and what is the span of the base, so that we can compute the eccentricity required to tip it?. (it'd be more stable to just place two screens next to each other, and if you want them to stay in place, try a little bit of VHB or duct tape.)

I would think that the advantages to the small footprint would be those that couldn't fit two monitors side by site normally -- which would mean it'd be extending over the edge of the desk, and has that much further to fall when someone bumps it. (unless you VHB it down to the desk, of course)

(http://www.3m.com/us/office/myworkspace/mon_filte rs_privacy.jhtml

They're kind of pricey, but unless someone is standing directly behind you, they can't make out what is on the screen.

Oh, here is some nifty stuff from 3M:
Fluorinert.

3M(TM) Fluorinert(TM) Electronic Liquid FC-77

Heat Transfer Fluids
The wide liquid range of Fluorinert liquid FC-77 (-110 deg C to 97 deg C) makes it ideal for use in automated test equipment (ATE) and other semiconductor process equipment. Its high dielectric strength means it will not damage electronic equipment or semiconductor wafers, chips or packages in the event of a leak or other failure.

In addition, FC-77 liquid is chemically stable, nonflammable and practically non-toxic.

At over $500US for 250mL, it would take a princely sum to fill a fishtank....

Fortunately, 3M and Avery have you covered too.

I've used Avery's "Removable Glue Stic" to make any paper into a sticky note:

http://www.avery.com/us/Main?action=product.Hierar chyList&node=10211419&catalogcode=WEB01

3M sells a similar glue as "Scotch Restickable Adhesive Glue Stick."

http://products3.3m.com/catalog/us/en001/home_leis ure/-/node_GS1811HN4Bbe/root_GST1T4S9TCgv/vroot_GS HCV1ZFXKge/gvel_VPF07R2JJ0gl/theme_us_homeleisure_ 3_0/command_AbcPageHandler/output_html

For my larger projects, I've used 3M's spray adhesive:

http://www.3m.com/us/mfg_industrial/adhesives/fram ing/html/6091.jhtml

I actually use 3M's "General Purpose 45 Spray Adhesive" instead of this one though. For me, "45" can do permanent bonds or temporary ones, depending on the glue application.

Fortunately, 3M and Avery have you covered too.

I've used Avery's "Removable Glue Stic" to make any paper into a sticky note:

http://www.avery.com/us/Main?action=product.Hierar chyList&node=10211419&catalogcode=WEB01

3M sells a similar glue as "Scotch Restickable Adhesive Glue Stick."

http://products3.3m.com/catalog/us/en001/home_leis ure/-/node_GS1811HN4Bbe/root_GST1T4S9TCgv/vroot_GS HCV1ZFXKge/gvel_VPF07R2JJ0gl/theme_us_homeleisure_ 3_0/command_AbcPageHandler/output_html

For my larger projects, I've used 3M's spray adhesive:

http://www.3m.com/us/mfg_industrial/adhesives/fram ing/html/6091.jhtml

I actually use 3M's "General Purpose 45 Spray Adhesive" instead of this one though. For me, "45" can do permanent bonds or temporary ones, depending on the glue application.

Well, 3M did come out with the Super Sticky Post-its, which "Stick to vertical and hard-to-stick surfaces" and "Stick to computer monitors, walls, dashboards, corrugate boxes" according to 3M.

An engineer wanted something to mark pages in choir books at church. He found an adhesive that they'd previously dismissed as too weak to be useful, diluted it further, and now we don't have to paint our monitors and walls . . .

First of all, he was NOT an engineer, but a scientist. Second of all, the 3M inventor of the Post-It note, Dr. Spence Silver, was NOT looking for a way to mark pages at churg, but rather "looking for ways to improve the acrylate adhesives that 3M uses in many of its tapes". Spencer walked around for 5 years with it an wasn't able to find an application for it.

It was Art Fry, again NOT an engineer, but a new product development researcher, who found an application for it. And only then the whole church bookmark idea came into the picutre.

Here is a full article.

Just because your point was that 3M had a similar approach to empowering employees to innovate, that doesn't give you the right to oversimplify and spread convoluted versions of history.

http://www.3m.com/cws/renmouse.html
http://www.3m.com/cws/renmouse.html

My wrist soreness disappeared in a week using this. Everyonei know who had wrist problems had them go away after using this. Get one, and try it for aweek to get used to it. I will never buy a normal mouse again.

Currently the best way to make big green houses is with an extruded plastic called ETFE. Sheets of ETFE are welded together to form inflatable pillows. The pillows are clamped together with aluminium extrusions.

Now ETFE and aluminium have extremely high embodied energy (that's the cost of energy used to make the finished material). They are very light materials, which does offset the embodied energy cost somewhat (as you're using less of the material to cover the same area as with steel or concrete for example), but remember we're talking about a 7 square kilometre area here.

Also the foundations to support a 1km high tower are going to be huge. There are some tricks, like tension structures that could be used, but they will still require huge mass footings - better known as concrete. One tonne of concrete will release about one tonne of CO2 into the atmosphere during production and transportation.

I'm not trying to dismiss this project, but people should realise that it's going to be a long way from being "green".

(p.s. If anyone needs a big green house made, let me know. Our company designed the Eden project...we know how to do them!).

Just call the Stoch Tape company and they might could at least help you out. Here is where you should look for help 3M.

This ergonomic mouse from 3m is totally brilliant. It's the rotation in the forearm when using a mouse that causes most of the problems.

Here is a picture of my homegrown ($15) solution. (Note also the juggling ball I use as a wrist rest).

Simon.

What the official timeline doesn't make very clear is it took quite a bit of effort on the part of some folks within 3M to get 3M to market the notes. Notice the large gap in the timeline between initial samples and the product hitting the shelves. It was pretty bizarre - corporate secretaries were hooked on them and yet the product's backers couldn't convince corporate HQ to sell them.

What the official timeline doesn't make very clear is it took quite a bit of effort on the part of some folks within 3M to get 3M to market the notes. Notice the large gap in the timeline between initial samples and the product hitting the shelves. It was pretty bizarre - corporate secretaries were hooked on them and yet the product's backers couldn't convince corporate HQ to sell them.

3M is a huge corporation and has had the 15% rule for years. Post-it notes are just one invention that came from this self directed time. Don't tell me post-it notes are not profitable for 3M.

I think 3M has a program similar to this. They call it their "15 Percent rule". It's not clear whether the employees are paid for the research, but it's pretty clear from this link that employees are encouraged to work on independent projects.

One of my engineering profs worked for 3M and said that there was no push to identify or disclose the projects you worked on in this 15%, much less justify them to superiors.

You asked for it: Adblock for real life.

Looks like it would be handy during rush hour...

The twin cities probably distort the overall picture for the state. You'd probably see the same for Missouri and Kansas if you removed Kansas City and St. Louis from consideration.
I would generally agree with you. Each of these states has a top 50 city, Minneapolis, Minnesota and Wichita, Kansas. The two largest privately held companies in the U.S. are located in MN (Cargill) and KS (Koch) with revenues of $48B and $40B respectively. However, ...

The twin cities probably distort the overall picture
Hormel has its headquarters and R&D in Austin, Minnesota, the Mayo Clinic is headquartered in Rochester, Minnesota, Cargill started in Austin, Minnesota and is headquartered in Minnesota, etc. Of course, Minnesota has large companies in the twin cities (e.g. 3M is headquartered in St. Paul, Minnesota.)

see the same for ... Kansas if you removed Kansas City
The largest city in Kansas is Wichita (not Kansas City). The aircraft industry in Wichita (e.g. Boeing, Raytheon (Beech), Cessna & Learjet) is a big employer in Wichita and Koch is headquartered there.

My guess is that the rural areas in MN and KS are seeing a population decline; I am too lazy to actually check. Other than "spillover" from large urban areas (e.g. Las Vegas), I suspect rural areas are losing population all over the U.S.; does anyone know if this is true in upstate NY?

The 3M ergonomic mouse might help. It uses the thumb instead of the fingers.

http://www.3m.com/us/office/myworkspace/mos_ergo.j html

-Derek

Hey that's pretty neat... figures 3M makes it. They make all sorts of cool shit.

Simply locate the IR receiver, apply, and walk away.

For you DIYers

Because you know you already have the duct tape lying around

JUST TRY AND PROVE ME WRONG!

;-)

The sales guy was really pushing the "fabric protection" crap that they spray on for another $45

Try Hydro-Flouro-Ether

The guys on techtv made an imersion case out of this stuff, supposedly way better than florinert.

"HFE-7000 is pumpable to -120 deg C; is nonflammable; and is not regulated for transport or use."

It sounds like you need to be introduced to a great substance that's great at restraining children.

I do balieve this man had the first post-it

What they obviously need is an ergonomic mouse shaped like a penis/A..

actually, a page from 3M's website says that, as a fire retardant, it does its work in gaseous form (check out the PDF link near the bottom of the centre column). And is quite given to evaporation in a normal (room-temperature) environment. Yikes!

Mustard gas

Corporate site for Fluorinert

Fluorinert does the same thing, and it's been around for many years. That's what was used in some Cray machines.

This is of course not the first liquid that does not cause harm to electronics, and can be used for total immersion water cooling. Fluorinert (3m) has been around for a while. One version of it is(was) also used for liquid breething deep diving (same as used on "The Abyss").

of the chemical in action.

This is actually made by 3M. Its called the 3M(TM) Ergonomic Mouse, you can find it at many retailers.

http://www.3m.com/ergonomics/ergonomicmouse.jhtml

Comes in two size, small/medium and large.

I used one for a summer when I was an intern at SGI. It really reduces wrist pain, but its a bit "slower" and takes about 2 weeks to get used to it. Seems less precise than a regular mouse too.

A Froogle finds average price about $50.

http://froogle.google.com/froogle?q=EM500GPS-AM&bt nG=Search+Froogle

Bobby

Except that W. James McNerney, Jr., a product of the GE management machine, became the Chairman of the Board and CEO of 3M in recent years.

I remember the chills that went through the research department when that happened (I was an intern in fiber optics at the time), and indeed, the writing was on the wall for imminent changes. The traditional "15% rule", whereby researchers could spend 15% of their time on their own research ideas which often lead to very innovative, lucrative new products (e.g., Post-It notes, UV-hardened polymer), was in jeopardy when I left. I'm not sure where that went since then, as I'm not privy to the 3M internals.

Here's an interesting link on 3M research culture, BTW. -- Paul

Its like those amazing bose noise cancelling headphones.

Or the same sort of thing, except requires no batteries.

Or with no headgear.

In 1st year university in res, a friend of mine used to sleep with the ear muffs on all the time, they make things amazingly quiet. The plugs are almost as good, but more comfortable to wear.

You can also get special plugs made up by audiologists, that are custom-molded to your ears, and only let certain frequencies through. Musicians use them a lot, for example, bass players standing next to the drums: they get them to filter out all the high frequencies from the cymbals.

Being from Canada, eh, I use this stuff for cracks. Keeps them hosers from stealing my beer and smokes, eh?

Soko

3M makes some good reusable ear plugs that can cut up to 12.5 dB (halving the NRR value gives you a better picture of the actual possible attenuation). Only costs $1.38.

However, earplugs only cut out the noise that enters through the ear canal. Sound can still conduct through your cranium, and besides, you will hear the sound of your own breathing.

The better (but more expensive method) is to get ACTIVE noise cancelling headphones (not PASSIVE ones). These guys basically send out an antiphase signal of the ambient noise, effectively cancelling the noise out (well, not perfectly, but...). Sony sells good ones for $149. Or build your own.

It's probably something like 3M Fluorinert.

Our product uses resistive from 3M and works well enough, although occasionally someone gouges the screen hard enough to start ripping the resistive layers of plastic out.

The funniest thing about Stickies is how you end up with a huge disorderly pile of them on your desktop, and they all have vitally important information on them, if you could just remember the context!

Just like real Post-Its.

Now I wish someone would come up with a way to put Stickies all over my documents so other people could be as lost and confused as I am, just like in the old MegaCorp office....

Oh, wait...

The traffic light control system itself is called Opticom . It is patented and manufactured by 3M.

It operates using very short pulses of light (< 10uS) occuring at a precise frequency (usually crystal controlled). The normal pulse rate is about 10Hz. An optional rate of around 12.5Hz can be used to give priority to other vehicles (ex. ambulance vs firetruck).

The system is configurable and normally set to give a green light to the emergency vehicle (helping to clear traffic) but it can also be set to go red in all directions.

Most traffic light sensors these days use a combination of infrared and visible light strobes, as well as encryption, to signal the light to change. These infrared emitters wouldn't do anything . Check out 3m Opticom system for more information.

The system is called Opticom, patented and manufactured by 3M.

BTW, there is no encoding or carrier. The traffic lights respond to light pulses occuring at a precise frequency (crystal control is generally required). The normal frequency is around 10Hz. An optional frequency around 12.5Hz can also be enabled for giving priority to certain vehicles (ex. police car vs fire truck).

I laugh when I see people trying to flash their headlights to change the light. Won't work because the light pusles have to be fast (< 10uS). A strobe light was the only way to generate it, at least until high-power LEDs and laser diodes became available.

The system is configurable to give a green light to the emergency vehicle (which helps clear traffic) or it can be set to go red in all directions.

I'm happy to be no longer employed by a company that is india-sourcing, but to be honest, I can see the point. Sure, you can argue that for now it isn't as good, and the India programmers suck, and that the water-cooler conversations really help business, but these are all hurdles that will be over come with time. Maybe not this year, but perhaps next. You gotta remember that here in the USA (or for that matter Europe) we are insanely rich compared to the rest of the world. This great "World Economy" will eventually ballance everything out and, yes, it's true, *YOU* will be poorer. Get used to it.

Now I'm not saying I like this any, but that's just the way it is. We've made our world one where where the "bottom line" is cash - not people. It is quite inevitable that you (and your wonderfull talents) will be sold as cheap as possible. And yes, you *are* competing against the poor $20/hour high-end experts in other contries.

...I'm more like fifteen inches from the screen. At 30 inches, I couldn't read the damn thing.

Then you need glasses. Fifteen inches is way too close...

http://www.3m.com/us/office/postit/learn_history.j html

To foster creativity, 3M encourages technical staff members to spend up to 15 percent of their time on projects of their own choosing. Also known as the "bootlegging" policy, the 15 percent rule has been the catalyst for some of 3M's most famous products, such as Scotch Tape and -- of course -- Post-it(R) Notes.

In 1968, Spencer Silver was a man on a mission. Working in 3M's Corporate Research Laboratory, it was his job to analyze adhesives and how 3M could use them in new products. Along the way, he discovered a unique adhesive that formed clear, sparkly spheres instead of a film. He spent the next few years shopping his new glue around 3M before Art Fry found a use for it.

Art Fry's the guy who put Silver's adhesive on a scrap of paper to form a better bookmark. He was a new product development engineer for 3M at the time, but it was while singing in the church choir that he received the inspiration for Post-it(R) Notes.

It was 1974 when Art Fry entered Bob Molenda's office with a nifty little note in hand -- and a lot of plans. As Fry's supervisor and the special projects lab coordinator, Molenda helped Fry get his pet project through the pilot test period. Molenda was most recently the sales and marketing manager for Post-it(R) Custom Printed Notes before retiring from 3M after 33 years.

Although not huge, they may fit expansion cards and the like. No pics on the site, but good starting point.

also: 3M(TM) 8523 single Card Carrier, 254mm x 203mm x 51mm is a little bigger.

Although not huge, they may fit expansion cards and the like. No pics on the site, but good starting point.

also: 3M(TM) 8523 single Card Carrier, 254mm x 203mm x 51mm is a little bigger.