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You are eating southern fried chicken legs (or pigs' ears if you are from AR) with your hands.  Your phone rings.  What do you do?  (1) run to a sink and wash your hands, (2) use that old greasy towel you should have washed earlier or (3) just dive into your iPhone, iPad, iPod, or iWhatever and throw caution to the wind.

Most people pick number 3.  Now you have an iDevice with iGrease on it.  Don't you wish you had an iSolution?

The answer, recommended by Brad Crain (newly appointed administrative chair from Arkansas and expert on pigs' ear sandwiches, in addition to the bamboo stylus) and Brian Thompson (newly elected NSA secretary/treasurer) is to use an electrostatic iStylus, such as the high quality Bamboo stylus.  The bamboo stylus feels like you have something of quality in your hands.  The iBamboo (really bamboo without the little "i") can be found online (http://bamboostylus.wacom.eu/index-EN.html).

I spoke with Brad and Brian at the NSA Board of Governors meeting in St. Louis recently, where both Brad and Brian were using their iPads with the Bamboo stylus.  A short conversation with the two Arkansans over drinks convinced me that this would be the topic of my next blog.

A stylus looks like a pen but it has an electrostatic tip.  "Electrostatic phenomena include many examples as simple as the attraction of the plastic wrap to your hand after you remove it from a package, to the apparently spontaneous explosion of grain silos, to damage of electronic components during manufacturing, to the operation of photocopiers."  More on electrostasis can be found at (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electrostatic).

"A Capacitive stylus is a special type of stylus that works on capacitive touchscreens primarily designed for fingers, as on iPhone and most Android devices. They are different from standard styli designed for resistive touchscreens."  See more on capacitive sensing at Wikipedia.com (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capacitive_stylus#Capacitive_stylus).

Suffice it to say that the capacitive tip works like your finger, which, by the way, almost nothing else will do.  Resist the urge to use the eraser of a wooden pencil, or the non-business end of a ballpoint or fountain pen.  These items will not work on the iPod, iPhone, or iPad.  They still work on traditional key pad telephones and adding machines, thank the maker.

The iAdvice?  Don't buy the cheap styli (plural of stylus or styluses), such as the three for $2 (with free expedited shipping--too bad the deal has finally gone off and the three pack is now discounted to $20 with Amazon super saver shipping -- super saver shipping requires you to pledge an unborn child for payment -- just kidding.)
I was unable to find the CCM(c) site. If you find the site please post it below. CCM products are on sale everywhere, but no matter how inexpensive (read "cheap") they are you will not like the heft of the stylus.  (PS - The CCM stylus is not recommended.) (PPS - Don't buy the CCM stylus, you won't like it.) (PPPS - Honest.)  (PPPPS - I bet I get a bunch of posts from people who just love their CCM styli.)

Now for the part about the sticker shock on the Bamboo Stylus.  Bamboo Styli cost $30 each, even when on sale, and I could not find free shipping on the Amazon partner site.  Bamboo  Styli feel like a lot more than $30 because they have that heft.  Bamboo also has a nice professional looking and very expensive website.

Bamboo paper (http://www.wacom.eu/index2.asp?pid=9222&lang=en) is an application that you can add to your iPad (is that iBamboo iPaper?).  The web page tells us about the new eco-friendly non-paper called iPaper.  "Sketch out your thoughts and ideas on digital paper using your own handwriting. Wherever you are, at home or on the road. Bamboo Paper lets you take notes, draw, doodle, jot down recipes, write a quick list, entertain the kids… you name it! Easily create and manage your own personal library of notebooks. Use Bamboo Paper on your iPad, Mac or PC. Bamboo Paper, where your thoughts come alive."

And after spending $30 for your Bamboo Stylus, you will be gratified to note that the basic plain paper version of Bamboo Paper is free.  Bamboo paper reminds me of moleskin notebooks (www.moleskine.com/).  If you are a more traditional note taker, you may want the exquisite paper version of this notebook.  The moleskin notebook is far more professional than your average spiral bound contraption.

I was also unable to locate the Bamboo Paper expanded version for retail sale.  Descriptions of the expanded Bamboo Paper version is all over the website. If you locate the price for the bamboo paper expanded version, please post the information below.

The reason I mentioned the moleskin notebooks was that I use one with the checkerboard pattern (The 3.5" x 5.5" pocket size squared notebook has 192 pages with an elastic closure.) and have done so since I worked for the Food and Drug Administration and needed a notebook that I could use for expert testimony on cases involving (wait for it) food and drugs that were out of compliance with U.S. Regulations.

Until next time, look me up on facebook or linkedin.  Send me an email at alfred@giovetti.com.  Send me a fax at 4107476357.  Give me a call - I might answer my iPhone if I can hear it vibrate.  Better you should call me at the office 4107470396 or home 4107449622 (Yes, Virginia, my home phone number is often dialed bybpeople looking for the local YMCA (9=Y, 6=M, C=2, and A = 2).  Collar me at a seminar or meeting within the National Society of Accountants family.  Come by the office for a cup of Joe at 1615 Frederick Rd., Catonsville, MD 21228-5022.