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Longish   When I Almost Lost My Finger by Ike Degler The adventures of pocket-diving   The Secrets Pockets Can Tell by David Lytle Part II   Shortish Bus One Seven by Roderick Armageddon Resistance   Lists   Least desirable things to find in your pocket   Pockets of Resistance edited by Roderick Armageddon Ten of the most inspiring signs that modern culture might not be doomed, after all   Out of Sites by Jeff Gores Good web sites or good laughs? Find them both here.

Pocket Premiums
Man's quest for tiny technology results in change
by Kent Lewis

I'll never forget my first "pocket-sized" electronic game. I didn't play football as a kid, but on the dark maroon screen with flashing red lights, I was Lynn Swann. While the game could only fit in cargo pants-sized pockets, it was still a revolutionary new concept and a desirable toy for road trips and recess. For this I thank "Q."

While humans are not raised in pockets like marsupials, we still have an affinity for the often convenient, sometimes fashionable, always personal pocket. We view pockets as something more than a simple change receptacle; rather, it's a catalyst for change itself. This is especially true with technology.

Pocket-sized watches were a big deal in the late 1800s. The first Hewlett Packard calculators were almost too big for batteries, but were still considered "pocket-sized." When cell phones shrunk from briefcase to wallet size, everyone had to have one. Most recently, personal digital assistants (PDAs) have brought computers to our pockets.

Don’t thank Bill Gates for these technologies, however, thank Her Majesty’s Secret Service. No single entity has created more interest in pocket-sized technology than 007 James Bond. His pocket-sized arsenal, designed by special agent Q, included explosive pens, camera "rings," GPS tracking shoes and cell phone watches.

Thanks to a strong supply curve, many of 007's coolest gadgets featured over the past 35 years are available today in stores (primarily at Sharper Image), save for the explosive pen). His Aquacar, his garrotting watch, his machine gun loafers, his class ring that emits an ear-shattering sound, his sponge pants - oh, wait, those were mine... Some things just aren't meant for mass-market consumption. Regardless, leave it to marketers and technologists to keep trying.

Technology itself is a slippery topic, but not nearly as slippery as When I Almost Lost My Finger by Ike Degler. It will make you ask many questions, like "How could you fit a banana in there?" The questions keep coming as David Lytle presents an intriguing interrogation involving Keiko and badgers.

On the shorter and sweeter side, Roderick Armageddon is back to discuss pockets of resistance in the music world. We expect a knock on the door from the big record labels for this one. If you don’t have that kind of time, I recommend checking out one of our lists: Least Desirable Things to Find in Your Pocket, Pockets of Resistance or Out of Sites. If you haven’t learned how to read yet, check out the gallery and our link to Hooked on Phonics. We’ll try to keep you in our back pocket.