It seems that the only yellow highlighters available any more are the chisel tip highlighters.  Do they sell the broad (flat) tip highlighters any more? I much prefer them to the chisel tip. Do you know where they sell the broad (flat) tip highlighters?

Are you struggling with a problem, but are unable to obtain clarity on a solution? Here’s an approach to get clarity that has worked for me: read a book with great clarity; that is, a book that expresses fundamental ideas in a simple, clear way.

I am on my fifth read of An Introduction to Mathematics by Alfred Whitehead. Every time I feel my thoughts getting muddied I pull out this book and read it. This book takes the complex subject of mathematics and describes its fundamental ideas with brilliant clarity. Reading this book brings clarity to my mind, in all of my thoughts.

Do you have a book that you enjoy reading because of its clarity of thought?

Florescent light bulbs are filled with poisonous mercury gas.

If you break a florescent light bulb, removing the released poisons will require you to go through a painstaking operation. “A broken fluorescent tube will release its mercury content. Safe cleanup of broken fluorescent bulbs differs from cleanup of conventional broken glass or incandescent bulbs.” [Wikipedia]

If you have children at home, there is a good chance that they will at some point accidentally break a florescent light bulb. Are you willing to risk their health (and yours) to save a few bucks?

Florescent light bulbs require substantially more resources to make than ordinary incandescent light bulbs (that’s why they cost more).

Florescent light bulbs should not be used in a fully enclosed area as they build up heat and can cause a fire.

Starting 2012 you will no longer be able to purchase incandescent light bulbs in the U.S. The legislators decided to require everyone to switch to the so-called “green technology” florescent light bulbs.

I recommend stocking up on incandescent light bulbs now.

While there are short-term savings to everyone using florescent light bulbs, the long-term costs of disposing of the toxic waste may exceed the savings (and make the planet less “green”).

I get excited when I discover a great question.

A great question gets people to think about things they otherwise never would have. It can lead to insights and innovation.

It’s not what you know, and it’s not even who you know. It’s how much knowledge you give away. Hoarding knowledge diminishes your power because it diminishes your presence.

Everything is Miscellaneous by David Weinberger

Recently I wrote a report. I passed its first draft to a colleague who recommended removing a lot of the text. As I proceeded to discard text I became increasingly scared, “Oh my, I have astonishingly little to say.”

It ended up being a very short report. But every word was informative and necessary – there was no “filler” in it. I was pleased with the end result.

Now, I am determined to discard all text that’s not needed. I will fight my fear of having little to say.

As I was peeling a carrot today it occurred to me, “How do carrots get their shape – thick at the top and then tapering off?” Does anyone know how carrots get their shape?

From Don’t Make Me Think by Steve Krug:

We’re all beginners under the skin.  Scratch an expert  and you’ll often find someone who’s muddling through – just at a higher level.

Experts are rarely insulted by something that is clear enough for beginners.  Everyone appreciates clarity.  (True clarity, that is, and not just something that’s been “dumbed down.”)

I am in a hurry.

I want to learn quickly.  You too?

Anything that slows me down is to be avoided.

Commas are syntax to get the reader to pause.  Commas slow you down.  Commas are evil.

I wonder if anyone has written a book that doesn’t use any commas?

This message doesn’t use commas.  I’ll bet you were able to read it really fast.

From The Art & Science of Web Design by Jeffrey Veen:

Pattern Language is an approach to determining the ultimate “goodness” of a design solution.

The architect Christopher Alexander is generally attributed with developing the notion of the Pattern Language.

His basic premise is that we should start from the bottom and work our way up – that is, by asking questions about very simple things, we can find the best answers and combine them into complex things.

For example, take a look at a doorknob that is near you. Is there a lock? What is the mechanism for locking and unlocking it? How does the knob turn? Is it round, or more of a handle? Do you need to twist it, slide it, or push it in order to open the door?

Lots of questions. You could probably think of even more if you stared at the doorknob long enough. In fact, if you spent enough time studying the process of opening and closing, locking and unlocking doors, you could become quite an expert on doorknobs.

Once you’ve become a doorknob expert, you should be able to accurately describe how that device should work. Then, you should start studying doors. Where should the knob go? What’s the best way to hinge the door to the frame? What’s the best size for a door? Where should it go in a room? How many doors should a room have?

Now you’re starting to become a room expert. You’ll also become a window expert, and a floor and ceiling and wall expert. How should the rooms be arranged in a house? What heuristics make for a space that feels good to be in? How do you connect those spaces?

As you work from the bottom up, you’ll find yourself looking at bigger and bigger issues – like how public spaces can foster community interaction, or how city design can alleviate congestion.

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The process of developing pattern languages isn’t confined to the world of architecture. Patterns have been developed for such disciplines as computer science and corporate organization.