My favourite part of Mark W. Shead's post on how an apparent flaw in the design of an air pistol illustrated why designers need domain knowledge is that it prompted an informative, detailed, respectful exchange of views in the comments between Shead and a reader with experience in the business of shooting air pistols at competition level. I love this sort of detailed dissection of the whys and wherefores of design work.

It turns out that in some contexts it makes perfect sense to site an air pressure gauge on an air pistol in such a way that it all but demands that the user stare straight down the barrel of the (loaded?) air pistol. Who knew?

[Via Electrolite (Sidelights)]

Holy Smoke provides an … innovative … means of remembering your loved ones:

The process of having cremated ash placed in live ammunition begins when you contact us. You tell us what type of hunting or shooting that the decedent practiced and we can help you decide what will best suit your needs. [...]

Once the caliber, gauge and other ammunition parameters have been selected, we will ask you (by way of your funeral service provider) to send approximately one pound of the decedents ash to us. Upon receiving the ashes our professional and reverent staff will place a measured portion of ash into each shotshell or cartridge.

Example: 1 Pound of ash is enough to produce 250 shotshells (one case).

I can't say it'd be for me or mine, but¹ then I can't think of a single reason why those for whom hunting and shooting was a way of life shouldn't have the option of being remembered in the same vein.

[Via MetaFilter]

1. Assuming that the whole site isn't an elaborate joke. ↩