uBlacklist/Delta-v/Patagonia Nine Trails 14L

Block specific sites from Google search results

I use a Google Chrome extension called uBlacklist to stop Pinterest results from showing up in Google searches. You can create a list of other sites you don’t want to show up in search results, too.  uBlacklist replaces Google’s Personal Blocklist extension, which it got rid of a while ago. — MF

Hard science fiction

Good sign: I stayed up all night to finish Delta-V, the latest techno-thriller from Daniel Suarez. Besides being a page-turner at the end, no one has researched or described in convincing detail the logistics and science of mining asteroids in deep space as well as this book. — KK

This really is the best daypack for hiking

Now that its summer, I’m seeing a lot of reviews for the best daypack to buy and I feel like I have to give my Patagonia Nine Trails 14L a proper shout out. I tried on every pack they had at REI and ultimately decided to order this one online because of all its features. It’s smaller than most other packs (1lb), and includes a 2-liter HydraPak so I can hike and drink hands-free without having to stop and pull out a water bottle. Aside from the main compartment where my HydraPak lives, there’s two more large compartments (one zippered, one stretch pocket) where I keep an extra layer of clothing, snacks, trauma pak, pStyle, and more. The waist belt has zippered pockets where I keep my keys, pepper spray, chapstick and a small bottle of sunscreen, but the most essential features are the two quick-stash side pockets where I keep my phone and sunglasses since I’m always sliding those in and out. My friend has an older version of this same backpack without the quick-stash pockets and is really jealous of mine. — CD  

Why is it so important for you to have a baby?

Last year I made the very important decision to not have children. This quiz helped me figure out the true reasons I wanted to be a parent and I realized that those reasons were not really aligned with what I wanted for my life. After that came a lot of reading and therapy before I became confident that this was the best decision I ever made for myself. So in case anyone else is on the fence, here’s a place to start. — CD 

The long view

In a time of great complaints about new tech, I am encouraged by the Pessimist Archive which goes through historical records collecting end-of-the-world rants about the horrors of such inventions as bicycles, subways, and electricity. Most complaints about modern things could have been recycled from 100 years ago. The Pessimist Archive is a necessary counterpoint to complain wisely today. I follow both their Twitter stream and their podcast. — KK

Concentrated windshield washer solvent

Instead of buying windshield washer solvent in gallon plastic jugs (and paying about $5) I bought this box of 24 6-ounce bottles of concentrated solvent ($34). One bottle makes 1.5 gallons of solvent. Easier to store, too. — MF

— Kevin Kelly, Mark Frauenfelder, Claudia Dawson