mem·o·ry·less·ness

Optimal Shoelacing

This [lacing shoes] is of course an instance of a Traveling Salesman Problem (TSP). Each lace hole represents a city which can be visited exactly once. For example, the slack is maximized by finding the shortest tour, while the slack can be minimized by finding the longest Hamiltonian circuit. Of course, my daughter would prefer finding a good balance between these two extreme solutions, while also ensuring that tightening and loosening the laces are relatively easy to perform. The former objective can be equivalently specified in terms of minimizing deviation from a desired tour length, while the latter requirement can perhaps be approximated by eliminating unfavorable connection patterns and reducing overall friction.

(via dcu)

Sorry for all of the reblogs, but this one is killer from fashiontipsfromcomicstrips:

Chuck Taylor DC Comics - Batmobile (Kids 1-3 yr), $37, Converse