Recomendo

Redditle/Video wit/Mvsep

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Recomendo: issue no. 302

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A better search engine for Reddit
I never had any success searching Reddit directly, so I use Google and append all my queries with site:reddit.com. Redditle.com is exactly that — only a simpler, more direct way to search Reddit. You can even search within a specific subreddit. This would work well with Mark’s previous recommendation on Finding the best products online. — CD

Video wit
I am mesmerized by the short videos of Zach King. Are they real? Are they magic tricks? Or are they special CGI effects? Who cares? They are awesome. King’s visual tricks are witty, clever, and uplifting. I think of them as cinemagic. They have become a whole new creative genre, as King forwards and feature shorts inspired by his style but made by others. They travel well on TikTok so he has legions of followers. — KK

Music and vocals splitter
Mvsep is a free web-based service that separates any song’s vocals and instruments. It’s useful for singers and musicians, but it also provides a new way to appreciate your favorite songs. I tried it with The Rolling Stones’ “Paint it Black” using the “Ultimate Vocal Remover HQ” mode and was impressed by how well it worked. — MF

Great history
I’ve sunk into a comfy corner reading books about the age of discovery. A favorite is Over the Edge of the World, about Magellan’s first circumnavigation of the planet. The book is exceptionally good, and the story even better. Expeditions in those days were like today’s startups, with big visions and low likelihood of profit. Everything was falling apart the entire time. It’s not a tale of heroics, but of dire hardship, murder, mutiny, vast ignorance, and the slow awareness of the true scope of the this world. 260 sailors set off; 18 returned; but the world was literally never the same again. Highly recommended. — KK

Visualize your day in blocks
Rectangles is a time tracking visual where each rectangle represents 10 minutes of your day and the ones shaded in green display the time that has already passed. You are left with a perspective of how many more 10-minute blocks are left in your 24-hour day. It is inspired by Wait But Why’s article 100 Blocks a Day, which asks you to visualize your life on a grid and assess how you spend your 10-minute blocks. — CD

Magnetic poster hanger
Instead of taping or tacking a poster to the wall, use this inexpensive magnetic poster hanger frame. It comes with weighted magnetic bars to sandwich the top and bottom of the poster so it doesn’t curl when you hang it. — MF

-- Kevin Kelly, Mark Frauenfelder, Claudia Dawson 04/24/22
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Future Eclipses/Italy’s Nomad Visa/Death of ExOfficio

A weekly newsletter with four quick bites, edited by Tim Leffel, author of A Better Life for Half the Price and The World’s Cheapest Destinations. See past editions here, where your like-minded friends can subscribe and join you.

Planning Future Solar Eclipse Viewings

I had a few bizarre minutes of totality on a beach in Mazatlan last week and the latest total solar eclipse was a fantastic experience. If you’re looking to make travel plans to catch a future one, you’ll need to head out of North America for the next couple of decades. Upcoming total eclipse viewing opportunities will be Iceland/Greenland, Spain/northern Africa, Australia/New Zealand, and Botswana/South Africa. See a full list here that goes beyond 2030.

A Travel Power Strip for Europe

I often travel with a portable travel power strip for places that don’t have enough outlets, but that problem is especially prevalent in Europe where double outlets are a rarity and buildings can be much older. So when I head to Spain in May, I’m packing this travel power strip with a European plug so I won’t have to pack an additional adapter. The four-foot cord wraps around the base and there’s a strap to hold it together, so it packs up tight.

Italy’s Digital Nomad Visa is Live

Italy's digital nomad visa is officially available as of this month, though obtaining one looks to be far from simple according to this article. You need a stack of documents including proof of income, hefty health insurance, proof of accommodation in Italy, and a criminal record certificate. As with most of these, however, there's a fatal flaw in the “proof of employment” requirement that seems to eliminate the largest pool of potential applicants. You must "submit a declaration signed by their employer before any visa will be granted." Time will tell if we can submit one on our own behalf or if this is a deal breaker for the self-employed and the solopreneurs.

The Death of ExOfficio

I started traveling decades ago, so I’ve got a lot of ExOfficio clothing in my closet. The items were uncannily long-lasting, still looking good after 20 or 30 trips. I say “were” because the brand got bought out by the Newell Rubbermaid conglomerate a few years ago, the makers of Sharpies, trash bins, and toasters. ExOfficio has now devolved into an underwear-only brand: read the sad story I wrote back in February here. It gets worse though: their closest competitor, UK-based Craghoppers, announced this month that they are pulling out of the U.S. market, despite this historic market share opportunity opening up. Buy up inventory while you still can at their U.S. site through April 30.


KEVIN KELLY SITES

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April 2024
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