It’s like a best-of clip show from the world’s greatest telescopes, with the images merged into a seamless spatial panascope (I know there’s no such word, but you get what I mean).

It brings to life our humble place in this spectacular universe and ignites our sense of wonder. You can’t be jaded too long watching this.

If you can, Download this TEDTalk in high-def (recommended!) >>

Otherwise, watch the low-def version below:

There’ll be a free download later this year.

I still haven’t gotten over the demise of Borat and Ali G, two characters who brought me great, chunky wads of happiness.

But I think it’s time to mark their passing with a little blog vigil. Two of my passions are science and technology, so this clip where ‘Ali G talks to some geezers about science and techmology (sic)’ seems a fitting farewell.

Even if you aren’t a fan, you’ll be hard pressed to find a better argument for evolution than the one so eloquently made here. And I challenge you not to laugh at the ‘geezers’ as they try to make sense of the yellow enigma that is Ali.

Enough intro. As Ali would say, ‘Can we see the muff please?’

Farewell, yellow-rapper-suited one. Respek.

Here are 3 of my favourite (free) downloads:

1. For searching – Desktop Toolbar

Desktop Toolbar is a nifty, movable toolbar that lets you launch searches across a range of categories:

It automatically opens a new tab or window in your browser, goes to the relevant site, and executes the search on the term you typed in. Destinations are customizable to the ones you use most often – so for instance, my toolbar has Google, iTunes, IMDB, FaceBook, Amazon, Dictionary.com, Thesaurus.com and Wikipedia.

I keep it open at the bottom of my screen while I’m working on a document or post to launch searches quickly and easily, and minimise it at other times.

2. For blogging – Live Writer

Live Writer is a Microsoft blog writer. It lets you write your post offline yet see exactly how it will look in your blog (WordPress, TypePad, etc). You can create new posts, edit drafts, add tags and categories, schedule posts, insert videos and images and spell-check before you post direct to your blog.

It’s super simple and much nicer than working in the blogging software.

Formatting options are poor, but the other benefits make up for this frustration.

3. For downloading – LeechGet

I’m not exactly a power-downloader, but I do get the odd thing and I find LeechGet a handy tool. It’s especially good for capturing those elusive MP3s that open a new window and start playing without providing a download option.

The personal edition is free. But if you want support, updates and the ability to download more than one file at a time, you’ll need to register for LeechGet Premium.

Got a favourite download of your own? Please feel free to share it by making a Comment – the link is just above the next post down.

l often listened to Ziggy while doing chores, tucking him into my shoulder strap if I didn’t have a pocket. You can see where this is going, can’t you?

There I was, belting out Bob Sinclar’s Rock This Party. I reached across to straighten something in the bathroom, thinking as I did, I’d better not do that – Ziggy could fall into the toilet – but before I could finish the thought he’d plopped right in. I quickly fished him out and dried him off but alas, my efforts at resuscitation were futile.

(I have no words of wisdom to mark Ziggy’s drowning. I can only post this note to commemorate him. He was a much-loved gadget, a noble gadget, and he shall be missed. *sniff*)

But life goes on – as do music, audiobooks and podcasts. So today I’d like to introduce Ziggy Jr.

He’s a Nano – 8G, black, and with that gorgeous Cover Flow that almost makes the audio redundant. I went for sleek teeniness and sacrificed space – so there’ll be a period of adjustment as I learn to have only 8G with me at a time.

ONLY 8G! I remember having a SONY Walkman (that’s a cassette player people!). It was such a pleasure to have music on the go that I never thought anything of having to rotate tapes.

Happiness life strategy

Which brings me to a very valuable happiness strategy: picking the happy brain filter – the part of any situation, person or thing we focus on. As Abe Lincoln said:

We can complain because rose bushes have thorns,
or rejoice because thorn bushes have roses.

(Dang that was a smart president! Remember when presidents used to be smart?)

There are always thorns – it’s part of what makes this life and not heaven (however you conceive each to be). But don’t let thorns blind you to the magnificent blooming thing hiding there at the end of the stem.

Ziggy Jr is a tiny work of art, a truly beautiful union of function and form – and I already love him. So what if I have to limit my mobile audiobooks, podcasts and playlists to 8G at a time? So what if I have to do a little manipulation when I sync? I’ll get used to it.

And if I don’t – well, there are always gardening gloves.

Technorati Tags: happiness,happiness strategies,life strategies,iPod,Nano,quotes

Image by by saroz under Creative Commons Attribution 2.0.

So it was something of a surprise to find out he’d won an iPod Nano. The little silver device had been confined to its box for months, bursting with unheard melodies, a tiny bud of unrealised musical delight.

Yesterday  I went over to Dave’s to help this small bundle of joy make the transition to life. First I checked that Dave’s broadband was adequately dilated; it was. Then I helped Dave get comfortable as the iTunes waters broke onto his computer. He was so excited as we searched for and purchased long-desired songs and organised them into playlists that I had to keep reminding him to breathe, Dave, breathe. At last it was time for Dave to push – the sync button. Songs rushed forth into the Nano, filling it with musical life.

‘Is everything all right?’ panted Dave, overcome with excitement and anxiety. I checked the screen – It was OK to disconnect.

‘It’s perfect’, I replied.’

I cut the USB cord and handed the little silver package to Dave. He cradled it, his face glowing as the screen came to life with album art. ‘It looks just like the vinyl’, he sniffed.

If you’ve ever doubted whether technology can bring happiness, I wish you could have seen the look on Dave’s face when I left him cooing over that Nano yesterday. It put a song in my heart.

iPod (named Xiggy)
I have a black 30G video. I rarely use the video, but I’m pretty much at capacity with music and podcasts. I listen to podcasts whenever I’m doing brainless stuff – making the bed, brushing my teeth, loading/unloading the dishwasher, doing errands. I feel like I learn heaps without taking any time out of my day.

Laptop (named Xander)
I’ve had my XPS for about a year. It helped me write my thesis on happiness last year and it’s helping me turn that into a book this year. It’s like the perfect amanuensis – assisting me to plan, executive and review all my projects. Apart from Microsoft Office (love 2007), Word (so don’t love2007 – have they dummified it?) and OneNote, I use iTunes for music and podcasts, LeechGet for downloads, SPSS & AMOS for stats analysis and I have a mindmap program that I won’t mention because I think it’s overpriced and overfunctioned.

These are my 3 amigos. Just looking at them and thinking of all the good times we’ve shared makes me smile. Now where’s that cape?