With a BlackBerry, two mobile phones, three office computers and wireless Internet for his car, Greg Shenkman is never far from his work. But recently the CEO of San Francisco-based Exigen Group eked out more productivity by wiring the final frontier: his bathroom. When Mr. Shenkman answers the speaker-phone in his shower, the water automatically shuts off. He can open the front door for deliveries while shaving. He's also put the finishing touches on a waterproof computer that will let him answer emails from his sauna. "I took Gates a little too literally," he says. "The flow of information never stops."

So it's come to this. The humble bathroom, long a place of refuge and solitude, is playing quiet host to more workplace transactions. Bathroom business has gone way beyond tapping out furtive emails on a BlackBerry. Lately, more hard-driving homeowners have converted their loos into virtual satellite workspaces, with retractable desks or waterproof touch-screen monitors. Manufacturer Acquinox of New York says sales of its steam shower/whirlpool units -- a hands-free phone is standard in each -- nearly tripled last year to 14,800 modules. Wisconsin-based Seura, meanwhile, reports rising sales of its vanity mirrors, which feature LCD screens in the glass. The mirrors, starting at $2,400, let users check their tie-knot, then flip a switch to watch the embedded TV.

*****

Working in the bathroom, of course, brings old workaholic conflicts (spousal discord, late nights) even closer to home. There's also Warren Struhl's worry -- that he'll be outed when making a call from there. Mr. Struhl lives in Boca Raton, Fla., but he's the CEO of snack-food maker Dale & Thomas Popcorn, which is based in Teaneck, N.J., so he conducts much of his business by remote. In the morning, he spends his first quiet moments in the bathroom reviewing his overnight emails. He often dials into work calls on his BlackBerry, and he figures that if he happens into the bathroom, the acoustics may give him away. To avoid embarrassment, he says, he'll cough to cover noises, or press the mute button. "They know by the echo," he says.

Another emerging hazard: the BlackBerry dunk. "There's something magnetic about a BlackBerry and a toilet," says Paul Normand, president of BlackBerry Repair Shop, a Houston company that specializes in fixing the devices. He says he gets about 100 broken units a day, and estimates five to 10 have fizzled out after customers dropped them in a sink, tub or worse. "They get leery when we ask them, 'Was the water clean?'"

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Those Crucial Workday Naps

Who hasn't longed for a much more comfortable way to sneak in those workday snoozes than propped on your desk, elbows strategically placed to hold up your snoring head? The brilliant Schlafgras (which means "Sleeping Grass") is the brainstorm of architecture students from the University of Stuttgart. The project (which, sadly, ended in October, 2005) was in connection with a research project to prove that short daytime naps improve concentration.

"Schlafgras" is based on a modular system, that allows for napping areas of different sizes. From using a single module within a regular office up to a "forest" made of grass everything is possible. While the outer parts of such a forest would only be suitable for sitting, its interior, protected by high, inflexible "stems", could offer the space for an intensive nap.

"Schlafgras" mainly consists of freely shapeable styrofoam. An easy to use mechanism makes it possible for the individual to arrange a personalized nap-landscape. In addition to the free choice of colour, it also offers individual landscape-modeling.

Because of this customizability, provided by the mechanism, the user can identify himself with his napping-furniture. After decreasing the "fears" of napping in a working environment, "Schlafgras" has the flexibility to adapt from creating an environment solely suitable for sitting to being primarily used for power-napping. "Schlafgras" was developed by Elena Haller, Julia Meisel, Martin Nowitzki and Hanni Schermaul.

And a hearty "Congratulations!" goes to Elena, Julia, Martin and Hanni: now, where do we buy one?? (Hat tip to Gizmodo.)

Posted on February 7, 2006
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Paris Hilton's Storage Locker Blues

It looks like the original story about Paris Hilton's storage locker being broken into isn't exactly accurate. Under California law, the storage owner can break into a locker and seize the goods inside to satisfy an unpaid bill. That was the case here -- the owner of the storage facility seized the items and sold them to a broker, who is now going to auction them of for $20 million.

Phoenix-based broker David Hans Schmidt, known as the "Sultan of Sleaze" due to his ties to the celebrity porn industry, has announced plans to auction off a slew of the hotel heiress' possessions for the bargain price of $20 million. The items in question, including clothing, furniture, computers, personal journals, photos and videotapes, were stored by Hilton in a Los Angeles storage unit while she was in the process of moving from one house to another.

Schmidt claims the items were obtained by an unnamed buyer last November when the contents of the storage locker were sold for $2,775 after the bill to maintain the unit went unpaid. However, Hilton's rep, Elliot Mintz, said the items were "illegally seized," due to a "bureaucratic foul-up." "Our records indicate all invoices have been paid," Mintz said. He said the House of Wax star was "incredibly upset and angry" and feels "victimized" by the loss of her belongings.

Schmidt claims that his collection of Hilton's belongings includes 18 diaries filled with tales of the party-loving socialite's sexual dalliances and celebrity encounters, numerous photos of Hilton in various poses and other material he called "mind-blowing." He told the Los Angeles Times the diaries contain "everything that would be dear to a woman's heart: relationships, personal feelings, sex, love, breakups, sexual experiences, all those little things that make up a little girl's life. Her deepest, darkest secrets."

He said he would consider selling the items back to Hilton, and might even offer her a "small discount." Mintz said that Hilton hadn't ruled out buying back her possessions, but called the $20 million price tag "irrational." Word of Schmidt's intentions first reached Hilton's camp last week after the National Enquirer notified Mintz that the magazine had been contacted about buying the items Hilton's legal team has reportedly been working around the clock to resolve the matter and has threatened to file a formal complaint with the Los Angeles Police Department if the items are not returned.

"We wish to make it perfectly clear to anyone who elects to purchase or publish any of Paris Hilton's personal papers, photos, or tapes or any other personal possessions that we will prosecute them to the highest extent of the law," Mintz stated.

$20 million, eh? That's a lot of money for some diaries. Of course, one has to wonder: why didn't Paris just keep current on her storage bill? Usually celebrities have accountants who pay all the bills, so it sounds to us like somebody at her accounting or management firm is in really big trouble. Speaking of Paris Hilton there sure are a lot of Paris Hilton products being sold -- she's becoming a huge brand.

Filed in Celebrity Gossip

Posted on February 6, 2006
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Paris Hilton's Diaries For Sale for $20 Million

Paris Hilton continues to lead the way in being the most burglarized person in Southern California. This time, someone broke into her storage locker and stole clothing, memorabilia, "wild" photos, videos and her personal diaries.

Paris Hilton's diaries, along with photos of her in various stages of undress, are among a trove of the celebutante's personal affects that have found their way into the hands of a broker aiming to sell them. David Hans Schmidt, known for handling deals involving celebrity porn, is trying to auction off the Hilton belongings, which had been locked away in a Los Angeles-area storage locker until a few months ago. The pricetag? $20 million.

Schmidt told the Los Angeles Times the items include 18 diaries in which Hilton recounts past sexual dalliances, celebrity encounters and other adventures. Also included are photographs of Hilton at "wild parties" on yachts and in private homes, as well as her computers, clothing, videos and furniture.

Hilton's publicist, Elliot Mintz, has said the belongings were "illegally seized" from the storage facility, but would not comment on Schmidt's description of the items because he has not seen them. Mintz said the belongings were left at the storage facility during a 2004 move. The items were sold to an unidentified buyer after a "bureaucratic foul-up" resulted in payments not being credited to the heiress' account. Hilton was "incredibly upset and angry" and felt "victimized," Mintz said, adding her lawyers are threatening legal action against anyone in possession of the items.

Of the videos, Mintz told The Associated Press he was certain there are "personal moments" on the tapes, but added "we're not talking at all along the lines of the infamous videotape." In late 2003, a sex tape made with then-boyfriend Rick Salomon surfaced just before the start of Hilton's reality TV series, "The Simple Life." Schmidt declined to describe the diaries' contents, but said they include "everything that would be dear to a woman's heart - relationships, personal feelings, sex, love, breakups, sexual experiences - all those little things that make up a little girl's life. Her deepest, darkest secrets."

What is it with this girl? Does she not understand the concept of a security system? Write a big check, get the latest alarm system and some guards, and voila! The chances of being robbed like 50 times in one year go down dramatically.

Posted on February 4, 2006
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Happy Groundhog Day

Groundhog Day is an important North American holiday (with origins in Germany) where Americans and Canadians look to groundhogs to determine the next six weeks of weather. The forecast is complicated because there are multiple groundhogs each forecasting for a different region. Here is the forecast from a few of the groundhogs.

Punxsutawney Phil (Pennsylvania) -- six more weeks of Winter

Wiarton Willie (Ontario, Canada) -- early Spring

Shubenacadie Sam (Nova Scotia) -- early Spring

General Beau Lee (Georgia) -- early Spring

Birmingham Bill (Alabama) -- six more weeks of Winter

Jimmy the Groundhog (Sun Prairie, Wisconsin) -- early Spring

Groundhog Central has forecasts from dozens of other groundhogs. Punxsutawney Phil is arguably the best known groundhog. He was in the movie Groundhog Day starring Bill Murray and Andie MacDowell. Punxsutawney Phil now even has Vaseline Intensive Care as a official sponsor. Since Phil saw his shadow you can get a free bottle of Vaseline here. Phil's website says he lives forever by drinking groundhog punch.

How many "Phils" have there been over the years? There has only been one Punxsutawney Phil. He has been making predictions for over 120 years!

Punxsutawney Phil gets his longevity from drinking "groundhog punch," a secret recipe. Phil takes one sip every summer at the Groundhog Picnic and it magically gives him seven more years of life.

Posted on February 2, 2006
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Scientists Discover the All-Important Earwax Gene

It's the scientific breakthrough we've all been waiting for: Japanese scientists have finally found the gene that determines what kind of earwax you get. And it's about time.

Earwax comes in two types, wet and dry. The wet form predominates in Africa and Europe, where 97 percent or more of people have it, and the dry form among East Asians. The populations of South and Central Asia are roughly half and half. By comparing the DNA of Japanese with each type, the researchers were able to identify the gene that controls which type a person has, they report in today's issue of Nature Genetics.

They then found that the switch of a single DNA unit in the gene determines whether a person has wet or dry earwax. The gene's role seems to be to export substances out of the cells that secrete earwax. The single DNA change deactivates the gene and, without its contribution, a person has dry earwax.

The Japanese researchers, led by Kohichiro Yoshiura of Nagasaki University, then studied the gene in 33 ethnic groups around the world. Since the wet form is so common in Africa and in Europe, this was likely to have been the ancestral form before modern humans left Africa 50,000 years ago.

The dry form, the researchers say, presumably arose later in northern Asia, because they detected it almost universally in their tests of northern Han Chinese and Koreans. The dry form becomes less common in southern Asia, probably because the northerners with the dry earwax gene intermarried with southern Asians carrying the default wet earwax gene. The dry form is quite common in Native Americans, confirming other genetic evidence that their ancestors migrated across the Bering Strait from Siberia 15,000 years ago.

*****

But earwax seems to have the very humble role of being no more than biological flypaper, preventing dust and insects from entering the ear. Since it seems unlikely that having wet or dry earwax could have made much difference to an individual's fitness, the earwax gene may have some other, more important function. Dr. Yoshiura and his colleagues suggest that the gene would have been favored because of its role in sweating.

The report goes on to describe its findings about armpit odor and its correlation to earwax, but by that time we were so grossed out we had to stop reading.

Posted on February 1, 2006
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