Cardboard disposable drone steers during free fall to a target, then decomposes - designed for dropping medical supplies in third world relief work.
Tuesday, July 31, 2018
100 Lowest Expense Ratio ETFs – Cheapest ETFs | ETF Database
A good place to start for retirement investments. If you want to have your money just follow the market, you will lose a lot less money to money managers in the long run with low expense ratios. For instance, on $50,000 an expense ratio of 0.4% is $200, while 0.03% is $15.
Monday, July 30, 2018
Why ISIS or terrorist can't attack in south Africa - Trevor Noah
Funny! Here's so good at maintaining your interest with a long drawn-out story.
Sunday, July 29, 2018
Learning to fly a helicopter can take 3 months of eight hour days. Changing one of your three controls requires simultaneous changes of the other two to maintain stteady flight.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WdEWzqsfeHM&list=PLNbXXMoWfR3Bf7Z77vcviPlkHtTXUlEpC
Here's a tethered helicopter for teaching:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WdEWzqsfeHM&list=PLNbXXMoWfR3Bf7Z77vcviPlkHtTXUlEpC
Here's a tethered helicopter for teaching:
https://youtu.be/vDnzpRVPCM4
Tom Cruise learned quickly in a crash course, and flew a complicated maneuver himself.
Tom Cruise learned quickly in a crash course, and flew a complicated maneuver himself.
Saturday, July 28, 2018
The Truth about Hydrogen and FCV
A thorough explanation of the inefficiencies from production to distribution to conversion to when the rubber actually hits the road. There's a lot to consider.
Why spend so much energy isolating hydrogen, only to turn it into electricity, when there is already a much safer and more efficient technology for storing electricity in batteries.
"fuel cell expert Ulf Bossel explains that a hydrogen economy is a wasteful economy. The large amount of energy required to isolate hydrogen from natural compounds (water, natural gas, biomass), package the light gas by compression or liquefaction, transfer the energy carrier to the user, plus the energy lost when it is converted to useful electricity with fuel cells, leaves around 25% for practical use — an unacceptable value to run an economy in a sustainable future."
https://phys.org/news/2006-12-hydrogen-economy-doesnt.html#jCp
Why spend so much energy isolating hydrogen, only to turn it into electricity, when there is already a much safer and more efficient technology for storing electricity in batteries.
"fuel cell expert Ulf Bossel explains that a hydrogen economy is a wasteful economy. The large amount of energy required to isolate hydrogen from natural compounds (water, natural gas, biomass), package the light gas by compression or liquefaction, transfer the energy carrier to the user, plus the energy lost when it is converted to useful electricity with fuel cells, leaves around 25% for practical use — an unacceptable value to run an economy in a sustainable future."
https://phys.org/news/2006-12-hydrogen-economy-doesnt.html#jCp
the Perfect Burger According to Science | The Burger Show
More than you ever wanted to know about making the perfect burger, and the science of what makes it so good. Hungry yet?
The science of food MOFAD
Museum of Food and Drink https://g.co/kgs/54WHDJ
"An interest in food science led Mr. Arnold to create the Department of Culinary Technology at the French Culinary Institute, and he soon began thinking of a museum that would tackle the history and culture of food. New York had a museum of sex. What about the other great primal urge?"
https://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/21/arts/design/museum-of-food-and-drink-takes-a-look-at-flavor.htmlAS BULK FOOD SALES GROW, SO DO HEALTH QUESTIONS - The New York Times
Bargain prices trump hygiene - this is an old article but the arguments still hold true.
Friday, July 27, 2018
Faster Way to Teach a Child How to Ride a Bike (Without Training Wheels)
-remove the pedals, lower the seat, then have them walk, then bunny-hop with their feet, then glide longer bunny-hops, then glide-walking, before putting the pedals back on.
The high cost of free parking
Parking requirements in building codes often require more parking space than indoor space in the building.
How Easy It Is To Get Hacked | VICE on HBO
Wow, some very revealing investigative journalism about Russian hacking capabilities.
How Blockchain Beats Scalpers
3:04 "[allows us to] exchange what we value, which is the whole point of a community"
12-Year-Old Scientist invents lead-contamination detector device
Talk about a rgeat school science project!
Thursday, July 26, 2018
AI voice imitator can mimic voice after a few sentences
https://www.npr.org/2017/05/05/527013820/new-software-can-mimic-anyones-voice
Here is a great TED talk on the benefits and mitigating the risks of this technology: https://youtu.be/o2DDU4g0PRo
Here is a great TED talk on the benefits and mitigating the risks of this technology: https://youtu.be/o2DDU4g0PRo
What do you call it when you use Marge instead of Margaret, or Sabeth instead of Elisabeth
"Hypocorism"
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypocorism#English
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypocorism#English
Josef Mengele created a whole town of twins in Brazil
Extra creepy. Evaded capture and continued nazi experiments on unsuspecting townsfolk.
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/southamerica/brazil/4307262/Nazi-angel-of-death-Josef-Mengele-created-twin-town-in-Brazil.html
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/southamerica/brazil/4307262/Nazi-angel-of-death-Josef-Mengele-created-twin-town-in-Brazil.html
Tuesday, July 24, 2018
Married Life Tweets
These are really funny insights into what married life is like...so different from what everyone imagines marriage will be like before they get married!
Tessa Violet - Crush (Official Music Video)
I keep going back to this video for another look. It's a mediocre song, an odd girl, and yet the forward-reverse looping is very effective and her dance style is nice and quirky.
Monday, July 23, 2018
Genetically Engineered Bacteria Prevent Malaria
Smart! Instead of genetically modifying the mosquito, modify its commensal gut bacteria to resist the malaria parasite. However, getting those bacteria into the mosquito guts and having them persist over the wild type presents a challenge!
Sunday, July 22, 2018
What do programmers actually do?
A lighthearted look at what programmers do and what motivates them.
Saturday, July 21, 2018
How playing an instrument benefits your brain.
A particularly good explanation of the brain science behind learning to play music.
Fixing Flopping in Soccer: Don't Hate the Player, Hate the Game | HuffPost
-oh, now I see. It's very strategic to convince the ref that the opposing team needs punishment, because the reward of a penalty kick is so valuable it can reverse the course of the whole game.
Friday, July 20, 2018
Differences between 17, 18 and 19 inch tires tested and explained
More detail than you could've ever wanted about tire size. But a decent head-to-head comparison on the same car in wet and dry conditions. And 3 people scoring subjective comfort and noise.
You’ll never believe what ballet dancers do to their pointe shoes
They really mutilate the shoe to get it ready!
Thursday, July 19, 2018
Conconully
Conconully Lake Campground
100-144 Sinlahekin Rd, Okanogan, WA 98840
-recommended by truck repair guy. Beautiful campground, great fishing.
Tuesday, July 17, 2018
OpenPilot 0.5 Hands-On
I had no idea that card since 1998 already have fly-by-wire control of steering, accelerator and brakes.
Can You See A Laser Pointer From The Space Station?
A long and detailed answer to a very simple question. It involves a lot more than you would think. At 500 miles, the laser beam would spew out 13 billion photons per square meter, or about 50% more than a barely visible star.
Zoox and its $800 Million Robo Taxi Dream
-It seems funny to me that a serious competitor to Waymo, Uber, and others would wait until they're at this stage to go public with their progress. It would be hard to keep those who'd invested $800M happy if there is no information out there in public about their progress.
The design is based on quadrant symmetry of the four quadrants of the car, which speeds manufacturing and testing and builds in redundancy.
Natural Gas Plant with Zero Emissions
-turn the problem into the solution: drive the turbine with CO2.
-"the carbon dioxide is reheated in the heat exchanger and recycled into the combustion unit, where it continues to form the vast majority of the working fluid" - wiki
Saturday, July 14, 2018
Bicycle drive shaft "Ceramic Speed"
More efficient, quieter, needs less oil...but can probably pop out easily, may not handle high torque, have to figure out how to change gears. I won't hold my breath...yet.
Resignation speech in Green Bay School
This teacher resigned because of how dangerous and abusive her high school was.
So the school board hired a "turnaround team" for $300K- let's hope that actually accomplished something.
"An additional associate principal was hired, another counselor, three more teachers and five new monitors to work where needed during the school day."
Subsequent reporting suggests there's been progress.
"...teachers said there have been a lot of positive steps taken over the past year and they're just getting started."
Tulips | Planting to Harvest
Planting a bulb to harvest a bulb seems like a fruitless cycle. Wikipedia explains:
Most commercial tulip cultivars are complex hybrids, and often sterile. Tulips can be propagated through bulb offsets,(a small, virtually complete daughter plant that has been naturally and asexually produced) seeds or micropropagation (rapidly multiplying stock plant material to produce a large number of progeny plants, using modern plant tissue culture methods). Offsets and tissue culturemethods are means of asexual propagation for producing genetic clones of the parent plant
Offsets require a year or more of growth before plants are large enough to flower. Tulips grown from seeds often need five to eight years before plants are of flowering size. Commercial growers usually harvest the tulip bulbs in late summer and grade them into sizes; bulbs large enough to flower are sorted and sold, while smaller bulbs are sorted into sizes and replanted for sale in the future.
Wolvesmouth at MOCA: Craig Thornton puts his art on a plate, and then you eat it
Modern art meals
"I see him as an artist who is neither a visual artist, nor a performance artist, nor a chef, but all of that together," said MOCA director Philippe Vergne
People Will Agree to Anything
This is pretty funny. Especially when the guy is trying to inject a GPS tracker in their neck. They just keep saying "Yeah, whatever, I'll sign that."
Will Your Tesla Model 3 survive on ONLY a regular Wall Outlet?
A long-winded way to make the point that a regular wall outlet is barely enough to keep up with a ten mile commute and you have to be constantly thinking about topping up the battery, more than 12 hours a day.
It's funny that the commute distance is such a basic important part of this whole exercise, and he only mentions it in the description.
Thursday, July 12, 2018
Wednesday, July 11, 2018
Management of Antithrombotic Therapy for Neuraxial and Peripheral Nerve Procedures
https://depts.washington.edu/anticoag/home/sites/default/files/Management%20of%20Antithrombotic%20Therapy%20for%20Neuraxial%20and%20Peripheral%20Nerve%20Procedures_0.pdf
Tuesday, July 10, 2018
"Posted": Why do signs say this?
You can read it as saying "This land has been 'posted' with prominent signs indicating the extent of the land and the area where the following activity is prohibited." TE
"The sign isn't posted, the land is posted. It means it's privately owned, so you can't hunt, fish, or otherwise trespass there."
"The small print is generally a citing of the local ordinance under which the trespass is illegal. Posting the land eliminates any question of illegal trespass and defines the area."
Jeannie and Jim Gaffigan Commencement Address
"One person with gratitude can change the whole conversation in a room."
Not his best comedy work, in fact he's rather slow and sarcastic in this. But they make a great point that adversity can bring gratitude, and gratitude is something you can really center your life on.
Not his best comedy work, in fact he's rather slow and sarcastic in this. But they make a great point that adversity can bring gratitude, and gratitude is something you can really center your life on.
I Asked My Mom 11 Intimate Questions
A really touching and intimate look at the selflessness and optimism it takes to battle the persistent struggles of immigrant life.
The Future of Protein Will Not Be Animal Meat
This guy is remarkably young, and fun, pushing boundaries with his offbeat humor. He's willing to make fun of himself. And he really is an editor at the Atlantic. I had to check.
Cruise Ship Executive Chef: A Day With "The General"
A tough guy to work for. You don't want to be called out by him. But, he also hands out a lot of compliments, and clearly enjoys his job.
If Mikey Likes It...
The world needs more people like Mikey. A heartwarming story of a life turned around and giving back to your lifelong neighborhood.
Monday, July 9, 2018
Never shovel again!
Interesting solution to digging a trench, where the hillside was too steep for heavy equipment.
What foods are better in Europe?
What foods are better in Europe than they are in America? by Rich Howard https://www.quora.com/What-foods-are-better-in-Europe-than-they-are-in-America/answer/Rich-Howard?share=04b7538d&srid=3um4T
I live in San Francisco (from London) AND I'm a pescetarian so my views are a little biased here, but here goes -
Bread. San Francisco raves on about their sourdough and I like it, but apart from that everything else available is not that great - it lacks flavour and texture. And you get bored of Sourdough and bagels pretty quickly. Give me a hearty, solid loaf of wholemeal or some Irish soda bread.. or some German schwarzbrot… or a beautifully toasted crumpet… or a decent french baguette.
Fresh pasta - The range at say Trader Joe's is just not great. Go to a supermarket in the UK, you'll get 10 different varieties. Even more when you get to mainland Europe.
Fresh fish - My local supermarket is Trader Joe's and pretty much the only fresh fish available is salmon. And it's expensive. I eat frozen fish but it's not great. UK and rest of Europe have a much better array of fresh fish available, plus we can go to the fish mongers for something more exotic.
Ready meals - The UK is really great at doing ready meals - e.g. Marks and Spencer. Nothing like that here really. All the 'ready meals' are frozen.
Chocolate - I just stick to European store bought chocolate. American store bought chocolate is evil. San Francisco does have some great artisanal chocolate (shout out to Christopher Elbow in Hayes Valley).
Cheese - Expensive here. I eat it but it's all imported from Europe. The only American cheese I buy regularly is pepperjack and some artisinal goat cheese.
Coffee - Blue Bottle, Sightglass, Ritual are all really good but just not as good as European coffee. And I always end up having to order it extra hot because it's served lukewarm otherwise.
Tea - I bring boxes of it over from England.
Vegetarian products - Tofurky really is not great. UK does a far better job at vegetarian convenience foods. (Quorn, Linda McCartney, Tivall, supermarket own brand).
Fish and chips. You just don't get good fish and chips here. The chips are terrible. The fish is terrible. Just the whole experience is not good. Having said that, I've had it in New England and it's much better.
Supermarket hummus - revolting. I found an Israeli guy who makes it fresh. Cost double the price and worth every penny.
Cheap fruit and vegetables - if you saw the price of fruit and veg in London markets you would be envious. It's amazing how much fruit and veg you can get in a bowl for £1. It's all way too expensive here.
On the flipside, when I leave San Francisco, I get cravings for
Burritos - really they are bomb
Kale salads
Bi-rite ice cream
Lunchtime salad buffets
Learning How To Ride: Electric Unicycle
Shows how hard they are to ride. I learned to ride in a parking lot that had a fence and some bollards to hold on to until I figured out the balance.
Sunday, July 8, 2018
Snowflake, Arizona: where the residents are allergic to life
I had no idea people feel this compelled to live away from chemicals and electric signals that they feel are making them sick. The last 30 second if the video, each person responsible to the accusation that it's all in their heads.
Wednesday, July 4, 2018
Computer animation of viscosity and fluids
I love watching how the animation changes with different viscosity parameters.
https://youtu.be/GPZL84QrfBQ
There's a lot of very natural-looking physics in this one.
Monday, July 2, 2018
Magnus effect aircraft
Wiki: While the cylinder rotates, as a consequence of friction, it pulls air around it . This makes the air flow with higher speed on one side of the cylinder and with lower speed on the other side.
How not to get mugged
Stay near other people, if asked for the time keep your distance, don't fight back if attacked
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