Thursday, April 30, 2020

Wednesday, April 29, 2020

Skill Or Chance?

Illinois State Supreme Court rules fantasy sports a game of skill -- not a game of chance. (Via Michelle Minton.)

Medical AI Update

"Google's medical AI was super accurate in a lab. Real life was a different story."

Tuesday, April 28, 2020

Turtle Shells

Ada McVean: "Daily reminder that turtles are not 'inside' their shells. They *are* their shells."

McVean elaborates:
Quick guide: mollusk shells = exoskeleton (they can often leave them) veterbrate shells (turtle/tortoise) = endoskeleton (they can't leave them, it's part of their spine)

Meteorite Casualty

"We Have The First-Ever Credible Evidence of Someone Killed by a Falling Meteorite"

Monday, April 27, 2020

Stricter Rules For Hawaii Visitors

More details of the mandatory 14-day quarantine for visitors to Hawaii:
The person will also initial and sign the mandatory order for self-quarantine form confirming they are aware they must self-quarantine for 14 days. By signing the legal document, they acknowledge they understand violating the order is a criminal offense and they are subject to a $5,000 fine and/or a year imprisonment.
An airport representative will collect the two forms and begin verifying their information. First, they will call their mobile phone number to confirm it rings right in front of them. If it does not ring, the person may have listed inaccurate information and is asked to verify the number. If the person refuses to provide a phone number that can be answered on the spot, law enforcement is contacted and they are subject to citation and arrest.

After the phone number is verified, an airport representative will then check the address listed for lodging. For returning Hawaii residents, the address should match their government issued ID. For visitors, the airport representative will call their hotel to confirm they have a reservation. Processing personnel have phone numbers for every hotel in the state.

John Horton Conway

"Remembering Mathematical Magician John Conway"

Sunday, April 26, 2020

Awkward

That awkward moment when your own kid tells all your underlings that he and his friends like the competition's product a lot more. (New York Times, 4/24/2020).

Daring Fireball On The iPad Magic Keyboard

Daring Fireball (John Gruber) really likes his "The iPad Magic Keyboard"

Double Space Debate

"Microsoft Word Now Flags Double Spaces as Errors, Ending the Great Space Debate". (Via H.R.)

Thursday, April 23, 2020

Built-In iPhone Scanner

"Working from home and need a scanner? There's a free one built into your iPhone."

Rubber Bands Vs. Watermelon

"How many rubber bands does it take to make a watermelon implode?"

Wednesday, April 22, 2020

Monday, April 20, 2020

Hsieh Forbes Column: Do Not Delay Urgent Medical Care Due To COVID-19

My latest Forbes piece is now out: "Do Not Delay Urgent Medical Care Due To The COVID-19 Coronavirus Pandemic".

I'm glad to be able to discuss some practical information for patients, as well as to tie our current situation back to Bastiat's famous principle of "the seen vs. the unseen."

Zoom Marriages

"Zoom marriages are now legal in New York".

As a friend noted, "Wow, so you can meet, date and now marry all online." I'm guessing there's not yet an option for online-only procreation.
 

People Delaying Emergency Care

"Patients with heart attacks, strokes and even appendicitis vanish from hospitals".

If you having a serious medical emergency, please go the the ER. Hospitals are working hard to make sure their ERs are safe. (You can always call first to make sure they are ready to receive you.)

Sunday, April 19, 2020

Thursday, April 16, 2020

Wednesday, April 15, 2020

Tuesday, April 14, 2020

Privacy-Friendly Contact Tracing

"How Privacy-Friendly Contact Tracing Can Help Stop the Spread of Covid-19"

Zoom Alternatives

"The best Zoom alternatives for videoconferencing"

Monday, April 13, 2020

Sunday, April 12, 2020

NASA And Cats

Amber Straughn: "Actually discussed in a virtual meeting today: how to keep cats from accidentally commanding spacecraft while this work is going on in people's homes on laptops instead of inside a cat-free #NASA building".

Early F-Word

"500-year-old manuscript contains one of earliest known uses of the 'F-word'"

Monday, April 06, 2020

Zoom Security

"How to Keep Your Zoom Chats Private and Secure"

Novel Energy Soure

"Scientists tap unused energy source to power smart sensor networks". (Via H.R.)

Sunday, April 05, 2020

Thursday, April 02, 2020