Don’t like carrying cash or using ATMs or like the freedom of just carrying your iPhone? Why not use your iPhone to allow a random member of the public to hook you up with some cash when you need it. Basically, this crazy patent application from Apple allows you to send out a general request for cash to those with iPhones around you – they receive a notification of the request and can choose to be your human ATM -for a fee (it’s suggested $5 to Apple of which they give $3 to your benefactor). When you receive the cash and approve the transaction on your phone your iTunes account is presumably debited and your knight in shining armour credited (though interestingly and perhaps giving away its age it refers to Facebook and MySpace as alternative forms of authentication).

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Steve Job was a prolific inventor- much has been written about his hands on methods of management and this has been reflected in name appearing on a number of Apple patents.

It’s worth marking what may be Steve Jobs’ last patent application but ironic that it is a calendar related patent application that should be his last. The Mac calendar application has drawn a deal of criticism especially by critics of skeuomorphic design such as John Gruber. Some blame Steve Jobs, specifically, for the iCal stitched leather look (and it’s hard to believe it would have been adopted without his tacit approval).

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Science discussion

I am impressed by this site- a discussion of kebab vans explaining the Yule-Simpson effect- suddenly I have clarity and the desire for a kebab.

The YS-effect (or Simpson’s paradox) is one of those counter-intuitive statistical phenomena that make you realise that you’re thinking the wrong way about things.

Anyway - Nerd Alert is definitely worth checking out – they also have a nerd alert podcast which is great and has a good music too

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