Ok, I'm way more impressed with the dogs than the bike riders. Incredible speed and agility, and they have to avoid the bike.
Sunday, January 31, 2021
Thursday, January 28, 2021
Sunday, January 24, 2021
Troubleshoot missing audio files skydio 2
Friday, January 22, 2021
MIPS Protection – helmet safety – brain protection system
This addition to regular helmets allows about 15 degrees of helmet rotation during impact while the straps remain fixed, producing less rotational station on the brain. It's illustrated well on this page.
Start watching at 0:59
Thursday, January 21, 2021
SHERP all terrain vehicle
Lots of incredible off-road capabilities, but the most remarkable to me is climbing out of water into ice, at 2:29. That takes good flotation, very grippy tires, and ability to climb a steep angle.
Behind the Scenes- Drone Light Show
This video elucidates all the steps and safety prep that go into a drone light show.
Extremely precise GPS positioning when setting up the launch.
RF detector sweeps the flight area for interfering radio signals.
These enterprising engineers designed the software and built the drones themselves.
Wednesday, January 20, 2021
Owls fly silently
Sunday, January 17, 2021
Most Surprising MythBusters Result
Of course, the dimples' size and depth would have to be calculated based on the Reynold's number of the air for the speed the car is going, so their result could be improved upon.
Here's the actual episode, including Adam's favorite "reveal" moment.
And here's a car designed with dimples for aerodynamic efficiency.
97% less CO2 emissions in steel production
Start watching at 6:27. This steel production process releases 97% less CO2 emissions than current methods, by using hydrogen gas rather than coke (from coal) to reduce the iron ore (essentially, de-rusting it) during the first phase of steel production.
And, as he mentions at 8:26, generating that hydrogen from electricity can be done at non-peak-demand hours at night, for grid-balancing (i.e. keeping electric power generation at optimum outputs around the clock rather than revving them up and winding them down as demand fluctuates.) The stored hydrogen can then be used as needed when steel production is active.
At 9:05, he mentions that the initial €150M trial project will be scaled up 200-fold larger if successful.
Fox Dives Headfirst Into Snow
Researchers think these foxes detect variations in the magnetic field, and faint sounds emanating from under the snow, to catch prey underneath 3 feet of snow cover.
"foxes prefer to jump in a particular direction... about 20 degrees off "magnetic north"... when they pointed in that particular northeasterly direction...they killed on 73 percent of their attacks... If they reversed direction, and jumped exactly the opposite way, they killed 60 percent of the time. But in all other directions...only 18 percent of those jumps were successful."
More detail at
Wednesday, January 13, 2021
Drug Expiration Dates - Are Expired Drugs Still Safe to Take? Pros and cons
A government investigation to save money by adding expired drug lots:
"Based on stability data, expiration dates on 88% of the [expired drug] lots were extended beyond their original expiration date for an average of 66 months."
However, the FDA warns of ignoring exportation dates:
"Expired medical products can be less effective or risky due to a change in chemical composition or a decrease in strength. Certain expired medications are at risk of bacterial growth and sub-potent antibiotics can fail to treat infections, leading to more serious illnesses and antibiotic resistance."
Monday, January 11, 2021
Massimo on adjusting the traditional recipe
In the inaugural Chef's Table episode, Massimo is revered as a groundbreaking chef who changed traditional recipes, and was initially much despised for it, until he developed a cult following.
Here, in his masterclass, he distills his iconoclastic philosophy to this simple quotation.
"If tradition doesn't respect the ingredients, you have to change the recipe."
-Massimo Buttura, at 12:08 in the Masterclass on "An Evolution of Pesto."
Creating a Post-Apocalyptic Road Scene in UE4
Gravity Energy Storage : Uplifting technology
Stacking 35-ton lego blocks to store and release energy - less environmental concerns than pumping water uphill. (They're made from demolition debris, not fresh concrete.)
You can start at 2:19 to skip the long-winded stuff.
Gravitricity, at 5:43, uses weights hoisted in abandoned mine shafts to release energy on demand.
More investment in Green Energy Than Ever Before. | WSJ
Sunday, January 10, 2021
Why You’ll Regret Living in an RV Full Time
"Why You'll Regret Living in an RV Full Time"
Parking expensive
Mechanical issues, maintenance, repair
Space constraints
Limited hot water
Need laundromat
Depreciation
Getting mail forwarded
Miss your home social life
However, "camp for free on undeveloped Bureau of Land Management (BLM) land. Free "dispersed" camping, or parking on your own on public land instead of in a developed campground, is allowed for up to 14 days in most of these areas."
Also "free camping in a network of beautiful vineyards, distilleries, breweries, farms, and similar attractions across the country through Harvest Hosts."
"FreeRoam and other mobile apps even provide location-specific details about nearby businesses that allow overnight parking or other free options"
Saturday, January 9, 2021
Vietnamese nail salons - a heartwarming story
I had no idea why more than 50% of nail salons are Vietnamese-owned. Here's the heartwarming story of that. An actress who realized refugees could start a business.
"Hedren was working as an international relief coordinator at Food for the Hungry, where she assisted Vietnam refugees to find vocations...one fateful day, Hedren was working with a group of Vietnamese women who were goggling Hedren’s impeccably manicured fingernails when she came up with the idea of these women learning the art of manicures and pedicures."
"Hedren flew in her personal manicurist to teach a group of 20 refugees the art of manicures. Those 20 women - mainly the wives of high-ranking military officers and at least one woman who worked in military intelligence...The Vietnamese gave the nail salon business a radical makeover. In the 1970s, manicures and pedicures cost around $50 - fine for Hollywood starlets but out of reach for most American women. Today, a basic "mani-pedi" can cost around $20 - largely due to Vietnamese American salons, which typically charge 30-50% less than other salons, according to NAILS Magazine. Forty years after the fall of Saigon, 51% of nail technicians in the United States - and approximately 80% in California - are of Vietnamese descent.
You can listen to the story here:
And here's a very funny, expertly performed comedy bit about nail salons:
https://youtu.be/IG1myqu4CbA
https://youtu.be/IG1myqu4CbA
Monday, January 4, 2021
Empathy in medical care
What I learned from this podcast - empathy makes a difference and affects patient outcomes in health care. To make sure you're being empathetic: at 38:22 -
Empathy acronym:
Eye contact
Muscles of facial expression
Posture
Affect
Tone of voice
Hearing
Your response
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