I think you'll enjoy this video of a choir. Especially at about 1:36.
http://youtu.be/m2WQoC8WpSU
Wednesday, January 28, 2015
Tuesday, January 27, 2015
Cool google searches
http://www.gizmag.com/google-search-functions/34382/
"an * a day" gets "an hour a day" and "an asprin a day"
"time: africa" gets the current time in Africa
"AS 2490" gets flight stats for a flight
"showtimes: Jurassic Park" gets local showtimes for the movie
search google for "askew" or "do a barrel roll" or "zerg rush" and see what happens!
"an * a day" gets "an hour a day" and "an asprin a day"
"time: africa" gets the current time in Africa
"AS 2490" gets flight stats for a flight
"showtimes: Jurassic Park" gets local showtimes for the movie
search google for "askew" or "do a barrel roll" or "zerg rush" and see what happens!
Sunday, January 25, 2015
Pros and cons of free public transit
Since the following article has a bias in favor of free transit, the downsides mentioned are few. (I'm sure it'd be hard to find a lot of writing about the negatives of free public transport, as this viewpoint is not popular in the press.)
The article mentions decreased costs for fuel, parking, insurance, maintenance, and decreased accidents, litter, and pollution. Passengers can use front and rear doors making stops more efficient.
Note that the increased capacity for cars (freed up by bus passengers) can entice more cars to re-fill the void, so measures to decrease road capacity have to be enacted.
The article seems to be written by someone German, which makes it a little hard to read. I was interested to note that with the advent of free transit, "most of the new riders were former cyclists and pedestrians."
Here is a list of disadvantages from the Wikipedia page:
Several large North American municipalities have attempted zero-fare systems, but many of these implementations have been unsuccessful. A 2002 National Center for Transportation Research report suggests that, while transit ridership does tend to increase, there are also some serious disadvantages:[3]
- A sharp increase in vandalism and hooliganism
- Transit vehicles turning into de facto homeless shelters
- In large transit systems, significant revenue shortfalls
- A significant increase in driver complaints and staff turnover, even though farebox-related arguments are all but eliminated
- Slower service overall (not collecting fares has the effect of speeding boarding, but increased crowding tends to swamp out this effect)
- Declines in schedule adherence
- Increased costs in security and vehicle-maintenance
- General increase in local and state/provincial taxes (including for those who do not use the bus)
This report suggests that, while ridership does increase overall, the ultimate goal of reducing emissions by enticing drivers to take transit instead is rarely met: because fare-free systems tend to attract large numbers of hooligans, vagrants and other "problem riders", zero-fare systems often have the effect of frightening potential riders back into their cars.[3]
...I would think that the increase in "problem riders" is small, but any instance of such problems would get blown out of proportion, undermining efforts to reap the benefits of free transportation. In my experience, over hundreds of rides on the bus, only twice did I encounter a problem where the driver had to ask a passenger to get off. Perhaps the solution is either a nominal small fare, or an expensive monthly pass that allows free rides.
Wednesday, January 21, 2015
Monday, January 19, 2015
“Fibonacci Zoetrope Sculptures”
"Fibonacci Zoetrope Sculptures" - mesmerizing
Blooms: Strobe-Animated Sculptures from Pier 9 on Vimeo.
http://vimeo.com/116582567
Blooms: Strobe-Animated Sculptures from Pier 9 on Vimeo.
http://vimeo.com/116582567
Things to do after a loved one's death: Estate, death certificate, executor etc.
Set up an estate checking account. Notify social security (avoid identity theft) and DON'T post on Facebook.
Get 20 copies of the death certificate, from the city clerk's office or the vital statistics office. Obtain letters testamentary, or letters of administration. Petition the probate court. Cancel subscriptions. Get a tax form. Get their recent credit card bill.
Thursday, January 15, 2015
turn your truck into a snowmobile
Somehow, I think installing them would not be fun for 10 minutes in the cold at the roadside, with the ramp sinking into the snow, espcecially if the ramps weren't perfectly aligned, as at 5:09.
Saturday, January 3, 2015
Best YouTube videos
Funny YouTube videos
http://youtu.be/iYhCn0jf46U
When the photo is retouched, "there's not much left of who you are." at 1:31
Snow explosion!
Strange formations on Google maps
Strange things found on Google street view.
This ad milks the build-up to one of the best moments in music.
Skype laughing chain. Weirdest laughs ever. Gets funny at 1:00.
The homeopathic Emergency Room - a funny skit.
Funny stand-up routine about babies and the Moro reflex.
Cool series of videos stopping people on the street to see what music they're listening to.
Bad women drivers. Always funny.
Scary elevator prank. Very scary.
Hilarious, G-rated well-edited compilation of women getting a bikini wax.
Fight for his life on a safari in Africa.
Ants cooperating - cool!
Excavator mulchers - the ultimate redneck yard tool.
Maintaining high voltage lines. Beautiful photography, and as you watch it, the personality needed for this high risk job comes through.
"High voltage line inspection"
Very funny parody of a real commercial, which makes a clever commentary on how technology is interfering in our lives.
Celebrities read mean tweets. Incisive and bitter comments read by the celebrities themselves.
Butterscotch, an amazing beat box talent.
Beat-boxing while playing the cello (starting at 1:03). Kevin Olusola before he was discovered by Pentatonix
Weird professor gets excited about iridium; in a series that brings the periodic table to life.
Twin mirror prank. Talk about throwing you for a loop!
http://youtu.be/70FdRyn63jI
Funny prank where portable toilet opens in to a boardroom meeting.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xAEaA31EdtU
Funny prank where portable toilet opens in to a boardroom meeting.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xAEaA31EdtU
OK GO a music video series that is incredibly imaginative, full of trompe l'oeil and tomfoolery. There's a Rube Goldberg machine
http://youtu.be/qybUFnY7Y8w
http://youtu.be/qybUFnY7Y8w
and a car drive that makes music that only a car company could afford to make
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MejbOFk7H6c
(yes, they really set all that up!)
http://youtu.be/75aqU54CaYE?list=PL07D399D8CE9C0B48
(yes, they really set all that up!)
http://youtu.be/75aqU54CaYE?list=PL07D399D8CE9C0B48
and of course the treadmill video that started it all
Here's the whole series:
Yet another clever parody by Weird Al Yankovic: a social commentary on how texting had ruined the English language.
Weird Al has shown real brilliance in parodies for decades.
Touching video illustrates that true artistry can emerge with persistence even in crippling cerebral palsy.
Wedding proposal guy falls from roof.
Vocal impressions of divas - very good!
Cool camping trailers
The Conqueror UEV440
The Conqueror UEV440
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JqQKsBZnl2I
Ultra-slow motion. Always cool to watch.
http://youtu.be/ktvZ2Z_s4Bo
Did you know that airbags have a huge hole in them?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KRcajZHc6Yk
Did you know that airbags have a huge hole in them?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KRcajZHc6Yk
Rethink what you think about beauty. What it takes to transform someone to a cover girl.
http://youtu.be/iYhCn0jf46U
When the photo is retouched, "there's not much left of who you are." at 1:31
Beauty: what we think of ourselves versus what others think. Great campaign from Dove.
"Our self-perceptions are, generally, kind of harsh." - at 5:53
"Our self-perceptions are, generally, kind of harsh." - at 5:53
Cool science of talking with helium
Cool machine performs entire repair of potholes as a one-man operation.
Amazing footage of meteor hitting Russia
https://youtu.be/fBLjB5qavxY?si=xuJpyZh2XadrN0b4
Tweety bird becomes huge monster in Jekyll and Hyde cartoon
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EFBYl87h2PM
Portable bridge mounted on a tank is demonstrated
Drowning: what someone looks like.
Autosock- an alternative to winter chains.
World's longest truck
https://youtu.be/9uDwIqag85M?si=aQAGbJTrCFy_kxoT
Train snow plowing deep snow
Snow explosion!
Largest floating crane
Darpa urban challenge: Self driving cars
Beautiful tilting curved bridge - a clever design.
Falkirk wheel ship elevator
Jim Gaffigan stand-up comedy on bacon.
Remote control Dragon fly
Saturday, December 27, 2014
Why is tropical water so clear?
Tropical (warm) waters are clear because they support much less biomass.
http://www.gma.org/herring/biology/distribution/comparing_oceans.asp
http://www.gma.org/herring/biology/distribution/comparing_oceans.asp
This is because the higher temperature liberates the dissolved oxygen into the atmosphere, leaving less oxygen in the ocean to help support life.
"The solubility of oxygen, or its ability to dissolve in water, decreases as the water's temperature and salinity increase."
http://oceanservice.noaa.gov/education/kits/estuaries/media/supp_estuar10d_disolvedox.html
Saturday, December 20, 2014
11 steps to rehab your credit score
11 steps to rehab your credit score, from January 15th Consumer Reports.
The "big three" credit reporting bureaus are Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion.
[Number zero. Avoid borrowing money in the first place. Save up for things.]
Number one. Pay your bills on time. Payment activity accounts for 35% of the FICO score. At least pay the minimum each month rather than fall behind.
Number two. Check your reports by requesting one free credit report every four months through annualcreditreport.com
Number three. Don't apply for multiple credit cards at once. Unlike applying for a mortgage, auto, or student loan, applying for several credit cards generates multiple "hard pulls."[third party requests for your credit score] Instead, carefully read prospective cards' terms and conditions and apply for just one.
Number four. Don't carry plastic you don't use unless it carries an annual fee. Stick the card in a drawer instead. Part of your score depends on the ratio of the credit you use on your credit cards to the total value of your open credit lines. Eliminating a card reduces your credit line and can raise the ratio, which is [deemed] a negative.
Number five. Don't open too many new credit accounts at once. By doing so, you lower the average "age" of your accounts, which can lower your credit score.
Number six. Keep credit balances relatively low. Maintaining a revolving credit balance under 10% of your total credit line is wise, experts say.
Number seven. Beware of points-driven balances. If you charge everything on your rewards card for the points, switch to cash or a debit card for a couple of months before applying for new credit. Lenders can't tell from your score whether you zero-out your balances every month. They'll see your credit score, a snapshot in time, showing that you're charging a lot relatives to you're credit limit, which is a negative.
Number eight. Maintain a variety of credit types. Successfully paying an auto loan, a student loan, and credit card bills over the same period, for instance, shows that you're able to juggle different types of credit, a plus. That contributes 10% to your score.
Number nine. Get a personal loan to pay off your credit-card debt. You can improve your credit score by paying off the score-damaging "revolving" debt of credit cards with the score-benign debt of a personal loan. And, the interest rate on the loan is likely to be lower than the credit-card interest rates.
Number ten. Pay off debt in collections. It's always better to have zero balances on collections.
Number eleven. Get a secured credit card after a bankruptcy. If you've been through one, start populating your credit report with good credit. Secured credit cards may be an effective way to rebuild your credit. A bankruptcy will have less impact on your score over time as long as you aren't defaulting on new loans. But Chapter 7 and 13 bankruptcies stay on your credit report for 10 years.
The "big three" credit reporting bureaus are Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion.
[Number zero. Avoid borrowing money in the first place. Save up for things.]
Number one. Pay your bills on time. Payment activity accounts for 35% of the FICO score. At least pay the minimum each month rather than fall behind.
Number two. Check your reports by requesting one free credit report every four months through annualcreditreport.com
Number three. Don't apply for multiple credit cards at once. Unlike applying for a mortgage, auto, or student loan, applying for several credit cards generates multiple "hard pulls."[third party requests for your credit score] Instead, carefully read prospective cards' terms and conditions and apply for just one.
Number four. Don't carry plastic you don't use unless it carries an annual fee. Stick the card in a drawer instead. Part of your score depends on the ratio of the credit you use on your credit cards to the total value of your open credit lines. Eliminating a card reduces your credit line and can raise the ratio, which is [deemed] a negative.
Number five. Don't open too many new credit accounts at once. By doing so, you lower the average "age" of your accounts, which can lower your credit score.
Number six. Keep credit balances relatively low. Maintaining a revolving credit balance under 10% of your total credit line is wise, experts say.
Number seven. Beware of points-driven balances. If you charge everything on your rewards card for the points, switch to cash or a debit card for a couple of months before applying for new credit. Lenders can't tell from your score whether you zero-out your balances every month. They'll see your credit score, a snapshot in time, showing that you're charging a lot relatives to you're credit limit, which is a negative.
Number eight. Maintain a variety of credit types. Successfully paying an auto loan, a student loan, and credit card bills over the same period, for instance, shows that you're able to juggle different types of credit, a plus. That contributes 10% to your score.
Number nine. Get a personal loan to pay off your credit-card debt. You can improve your credit score by paying off the score-damaging "revolving" debt of credit cards with the score-benign debt of a personal loan. And, the interest rate on the loan is likely to be lower than the credit-card interest rates.
Number ten. Pay off debt in collections. It's always better to have zero balances on collections.
Number eleven. Get a secured credit card after a bankruptcy. If you've been through one, start populating your credit report with good credit. Secured credit cards may be an effective way to rebuild your credit. A bankruptcy will have less impact on your score over time as long as you aren't defaulting on new loans. But Chapter 7 and 13 bankruptcies stay on your credit report for 10 years.
Quotation about fear
"Fear is a powerful weapon. Fear doesn't give you the freedom to decide."
from the movie "The Sea Inside" by Alejandro Amenabar
Spoken in the context of deciding to pursue assisted suicide because of the fear of an unpredictable decline in health. But I think it has wider application, that our choices become limited when driven by fear; we are apt to impulsively choose the quickest option that returns us to safety when we are motivated by fear.
from the movie "The Sea Inside" by Alejandro Amenabar
Spoken in the context of deciding to pursue assisted suicide because of the fear of an unpredictable decline in health. But I think it has wider application, that our choices become limited when driven by fear; we are apt to impulsively choose the quickest option that returns us to safety when we are motivated by fear.
Xenon control unit - North American Motoring
Look what happens when government intervenes in how bright headlights are.
My headlight blew on my car, and when I replaced the bulb it still didn't work. Tired out the igniter for the bulb had gone too.
Read this informative post on how overprotective the government became when these brighter headlights were introduced.
"There is a lot of data on whether Xenons blind oncoming drivers at night (they don't, generally). But in the 1990s the Department of Transportation NHTSA was very worried about that, and put a lot of rules in place. The washers to keep them clean, so guck on the lens doesn't scatter the light and make grandpa coming the other way crash. And the requirement that the whole unit be non-serviceable, lest the lens get to scratched and pitted as the miles rack up. Make people buy a whole new lens every time any part of the thing breaks. And of course the self-leveling. Which was there to compensate for neglecting to have your headlights aimed, and having a heavy load tilt the car up and blind somebody.
By 2000 the NHTSA relented on these tough rules, realizing that worry over blinding drivers was overblown. But the early Minis were designed in the mid to late 90s, and so they started out with 1990s style sealed-all-in-one Xenons. But later they made it so you could replace the igniter and keep the rest of the light. I don't think washers and leverers were mandatory any more either, but they kept those around for some reason. Bling, I guess."
The Darwin Awards: sex differences in idiotic behaviour | The BMJ
"men are idiots and idiots do stupid things."
Winners of the Darwin Award must die in such an idiotic manner that "their action ensures the long-term survival of the species, by selectively allowing one less idiot to survive."
http://www.bmj.com/content/349/bmj.g7094
Wednesday, December 17, 2014
Tuesday, December 16, 2014
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