You can precipitate my problems with cables by simply calling me. There is a 50 percent chance that you will be greeted by the sound of my desk set banging against a radiator, because the spiral cord of my phone keeps tangling and assembling itself into a compact ball. Why? Am I unconsciously rotating or dancing while talking on the phone?
But my real troubles with cables occur out of sight.
My desk is far from organized, but the mess on top pales compared to the chaos lurking below. I just did a quick inventory and counted a staggering 31 cables running riot down there.
Over the years I have made multiple attempts to tame this mess. All my strategies share one fatal drawback: replacing a single cable means I have to untie the entire arrangement.
This is how I deal with the situation these days: If I get a new device, I just stuff any new cables right into the swamp of existing ones. And if I need to remove a cable, I optimistically pull on it, like a madman.
I don’t even want to get started about the endless varieties of cables, chargers and adapters out there. My biggest frustration stems from a much simpler problem: I use a lot of extension cords with multiple sockets. Although these cords are obviously designed to power six cables, I can barely squeeze in three, since most electronic equipment nowadays seems to sport absurdly large plugs. This reminds me of some very inconsiderate folks one so often encounters on the subway.
Adding to the insult: those Frankencables are immorally expensive. I have a habit of losing power adapters when traveling, and spend a small fortune on replacements. When I close my eyes, I can see Mr. Radio and Mrs. Shack living on an island made of solid gold.
I don’t want to complain, though — I am just a designer.
A couple of years back, I tried unsuccessfully to hook up an old drum machine to an electric keyboard. This gave me a glimpse into the terrifying universe of cables that musicians and audiophiles have to deal with.
I am aware that I could reduce the number of cables in my life if I took advantage of all the advancements in wireless technology. The problem: if it’s not attached to a cable, I will lose it.
If my 24-inch computer screen wasn’t connected to the wall with a power cable, it would disappear among the sofa pillows one day.
The most venomous of all cables are headphones. The combination of thin wires and stubborn earplug hooks is an endless source of gordian frustration (notably amplified when combined with seat belts on an airplane).
The true malice of headphones, however, is revealed when they are allowed to mingle with other cables.
Last year, as my family was packing up for our big move from New York, I was stunned at the number of cables I had amassed over the years. I had stuffed them all into a huge box, and was now confronted with one solid knot.
Upon our arrival in Berlin, I realized that there were some extremely important cables woven into miles of headphones and other junk. Untangling this mess was impossible, unless I cut some evil $3 headphones. Then I realized that a crucial cellphone charger had an identically thin black cable: a situation that required steady hands and a bold heart.
The storage issue has been resolved: In a dark corner of our basement I have attached to the wall an eight-foot plank spiked with long nails, and all my cables now hang untangled in neat lines.
I sometimes sneak down there and wallow in memories of battles past.
I am sure that a generation from now, all our hassles with cables will be long forgotten. But I pledge to keep history alive, and look forward to telling my grandkids stories of SCSI cables, unpolarized NEMA 1-15 sockets and DVI plugs.
Color can make you feel good or feel sick. It can tire you or increase your productivity. Color is perceived differently depending on your age, mood and mental health. Savvy packaging designers use color to suggest product attributes, such as cleanliness, flavor and freshness, and global marketers tread carefully around cultural color biases.
How well do you understand color's influence? Answer these questions...
1. Among adults, what color is liked worldwide?
Yellow
Green
Blue
Gray
2. What color is the first to disappear from a child's crayon box?
Green
Yellow
Blue
Red
3. What food color is most popular among adults in Western nations?
Brown
Red
Yellow
Green
4. What color car is outlawed by Brazil and Ecuador because of its high incidence of traffic accidents?
Black
Red
White
Brown
5. What color goes by 100 different names in the Eskimo language?
Gray
White
Black
Blue
6. What color puts people in a bad mood if looked at too long?
Green
Red
Yellow
Orange
7. On signs, which color combination is the most visible?
Black type on white
White type on black
White type on red
Black type on yellow
8. For printed materials, which combination is the most legible?
Black type on white
White type on black
White type on red
Black type on yellow
9. What color has a calming effect on people?
Blue
Green
Pink
White
10. What color helps children score higher on tests?
Yellow
Green
Pink
Blue
11. What color is the most restful on the eyes?
Purple
Green
Gray
Blue
12. Which color is very popular for cleaning products?
Yellow
Red
White
Blue
ANSWERS
1. Blue. According to several studies, adults worldwide prefer blue, followed by red, green, purple, yellow and orange. Nearly 50% of those queried in a survey by the American Roper Organization named blue as their favorite color, followed by red.
2. Red. Children universally favor red. A physiologically energizing color, red stimulates and excites.
3. Brown. Adults in Western nations find brown particularly appetizing because it is associated with savory meats, breads and sauces. Blue is the least appetizing, since virtually no natural foods (except blueberries) are that color.
4. Red. Although insurance records from many countries show that red cars are involved in a higher incidence of traffic accidents, Brazil and Ecuador are the only countries to forbid individuals from driving them. Optically, red advances, creating the impression that red objects are closer than they are. Red also physiologically gets the adrenaline pumping, so accident-prone red cars may say more about their drivers than their visibility on the road.
5. White. To help them describe the nuances of ice and snow, Arctic Eskimos have more than 100 words for white.
6. Yellow. Yellow, especially bright lemon-yellow, is the most luminous color in the spectrum and, hence, the most fatiguing color if viewed for long periods of time. (Conversely, it's the most cheerful if seen at a glance.) Anecdotal studies have shown that couples fight more in lemon-yellow kitchens and babies cry more in lemon-yellow rooms. On the other hand, bright yellow makes school buses very visible.
7. Black type on a yellow background. The strong color contrast and the fact that yellow is the most luminous color in the spectrum make this combination ideal for warning signs. But since yellow tires the eyes, just a little goes a long way.
8. Black type on a white background. It is easy to read and not as tiring on the eyes as yellow. The least legible combination is red type on a blue background.
9. Pink. Interestingly, while red is the most energizing color, pink has a calming, sedating effect. The California children's probation department found that violent children have fewer outbursts when placed in pink rooms. Many hospitals and correctional institutions have painted rooms pink for the same reason.
10. Blue. Through color experiments, researchers have found that children tested in rooms with blue ceilings tend to score as many as 12 points higher on IQ tests.
11. Green. This is the most restful color. Green has risen in popularity as people have become more ecology minded.
12. Blue. Blue is popular for cleaning fluids from detergent to beauty cleansers because it suggests hygiene and coolness.
Created in celebration of Infiniti's 20th anniversary as Nissan's luxury brand, the Essence is a showcase for future technologies that could make their way into production cars as soon as next year. When it was introduced, it was one of the few new models that actually elicited hearty applause from the hype-weary media corps.
The Lamborghini Murcielago LP 670-4 SuperVeloce was another of the six-figure supercars displayed. The Geneva show has regularly showcased automakers' most elite offerings, a trend that continued in 2009 despite a glut of grim industry news in recent weeks.
Unintentionally odd was the new Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano HGTE. Its cartoonish smiley face grille bears an uncanny resemblance to a en.
The Frazer-Nash Namir, a hybrid supercar styled by Giugiaro, was one of a handful of high-powered vehicles that acknowledged a possible shift toward more sustainable forms of mobility.
If Chrysler lives long enough to pursue its alliance with Fiat, the 500C could be among the cars that are brought to America
Fiat 500 Cabriolet
The Aston Martin One-77 was one of several sexy and souped-up new sports cars on display
The Aston Martin V12 Vantage.
Unintentionally odd was the new Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano HGTE. Its cartoonish smiley face grille bears an uncanny resemblance to a "Cars" movie character, Lightning McQueen.
The most powerful Bentley ever is the new Continental Supersports coupe, which was officially revealed at the Geneva auto show Tuesday. But this "blower Bentley" comes with a twist: it runs on biofuel.
