The Dailies

Word of the Day

Plenipotentiary (adj./n., PLEN-ih-puh-TEN-she-air-ee)

Given full powers to make decisions and do things, or a person given this authority (often a diplomat in a foreign country). Also, a word that has an impressive amount of syllables and sounds funny when you put the emphasis on other syllables.

Gif of the Day

Tags AnimalsBirdsOwlsSlow-motionSmall openingsGraceful gliding

Link of the Day

The IBM Selectric Typewriter & its digital-to-analog converter

Few sounds are more distinct than typewriter key levers being pressed. Few are more satisfying than the "whizz-DING!" of sliding a carriage.

The IBM Selectric Typewriter, one of the legendary designs, makes both of these sounds but it has a unique mechanism for printing letters:

The slow-motion video almost makes me nervous; the ball doesn't seem entirely steady and smashes into the paper rapidly. But as our host demonstrates, it's such an intricate, thoughtfully designed mechanism for printing. It's easy to see why this was so popular.

Tags VideoIndustrial designIBMOnomatopoeiaGolf ballsThe belly of the beast