"Why are eco-fascists trying to ban incandescent bulbs?"
I'm pleasantly surprised that Cecil Adams made the point that the ban was a "pointless intrusion" of his individual rights (in addition to having negligible "green" benefit for those who value such things).
Tuesday, February 07, 2012
Army’s New Standard Issue Individual First Aid Kit
"Army's New Standard Issue Individual First Aid Kit"
How One Man Played 'Moneyball' With 'Jeopardy!'
"How One Man Played 'Moneyball' With 'Jeopardy!'". (Via Eric Barker.)
Rapid Nerve Repair
"New procedure repairs severed nerves in minutes, restoring limb use in days or weeks"
Monday, February 06, 2012
How Does Fire Burn Differently In Space?
"Experiment Investigates How to Fight Fire in Space". (Via @TheAlexKnapp.)
Sunday, February 05, 2012
What Happens to the Losing Team’s Championship Shirts?
"What Happens to the Losing Team's Championship Shirts?"
Short answer: They are donated to a charity that sends them overseas to various Third World countries. (I must admit, it would be cool to own 4 consecutive years worth of "Buffalo Bills Super Bowl Champions" t-shirts.)
Short answer: They are donated to a charity that sends them overseas to various Third World countries. (I must admit, it would be cool to own 4 consecutive years worth of "Buffalo Bills Super Bowl Champions" t-shirts.)
Saturday, February 04, 2012
Friday, February 03, 2012
Sex On First Date More Likely For Android Users
"Sex on first date more likely for Android users".
Sure, but you're also more likely to get some sort of "malware" as well... (Via @debbywitt.)
Sure, but you're also more likely to get some sort of "malware" as well... (Via @debbywitt.)
Marco Arment on the App Economy
NPR's "Planet Money" podcast had a good interview with Instapaper founder Marco Arment on the App Economy.
Arment has a very simple and effective business model -- he sells stuff to people for more than it costs him. And he does "very well" with this approach!
Arment has a very simple and effective business model -- he sells stuff to people for more than it costs him. And he does "very well" with this approach!
Thursday, February 02, 2012
Chinese Workers Line Up To Be "Exploited" By Apple
"Thousands Of Hopefuls Line Up For Foxconn Jobs In China As Factory Ramps Up iPhone 5 Production"
New Membrane Blocks Helium, Yet Allow Water To Flow Freely
"New membrane can block helium, yet allow water to flow freely"
Do I Really Need to Eject USB Drives Before Removing Them?
"Do I Really Need to Eject USB Drives Before Removing Them?"
Wednesday, February 01, 2012
HP Calculators in 2025, As Predicted In 1978
In 1978, the HP Calculator Journal published a cute short story by science fiction writer Gordon Dickson entitled, "Thank You, Beep!"
It described a day in the life of a business traveler in the year 2025, armed with his trusty "HP XX-2050" handheld computer (which he nicknames "Beep"), capable of storing personal data, functioning as an "auto secretary" to make appointments, and interfacing with other machines through various "computer nets".
In retrospect, the predicted 1 GB of memory seems small by modern standards but was of course enormous by the standards of 1978.
The related article, "Smartphone futures -- Thank You, Beep...!" does a nice job comparing some of Dickson's other fictional predictions with current day reality.
The fictional HP XX-2050 is a bit chunkier than current smartphones:
But overall, Dickson did a pretty good job for someone writing in 1978.
I remember reading "Thank You, Beep!" when it was originally published, thinking how cool it would be to see something like that in real-life. Today's smartphones aren't quite there yet, but they're astonishingly close. And if current progress continues, they may well exceed Dickson's predictions by the time 2025 rolls around.
It described a day in the life of a business traveler in the year 2025, armed with his trusty "HP XX-2050" handheld computer (which he nicknames "Beep"), capable of storing personal data, functioning as an "auto secretary" to make appointments, and interfacing with other machines through various "computer nets".
In retrospect, the predicted 1 GB of memory seems small by modern standards but was of course enormous by the standards of 1978.
The related article, "Smartphone futures -- Thank You, Beep...!" does a nice job comparing some of Dickson's other fictional predictions with current day reality.
The fictional HP XX-2050 is a bit chunkier than current smartphones:
But overall, Dickson did a pretty good job for someone writing in 1978.
I remember reading "Thank You, Beep!" when it was originally published, thinking how cool it would be to see something like that in real-life. Today's smartphones aren't quite there yet, but they're astonishingly close. And if current progress continues, they may well exceed Dickson's predictions by the time 2025 rolls around.
Alien Brain Hemorrhage Cocktail Recipe
Cocktail recipe for a "Alien Brain Hemorrhage" drink.
Instructions: To make an alien brain hemorrhage cocktail, fill a shot glass halfway with peach schnapps. Gently pour Bailey's Irish Cream on top. After the shot is almost full, carefully add a small amount of blue curacao. After it settles, add a few drops of grenadine syrup. (Via Neatorama.)
Instructions: To make an alien brain hemorrhage cocktail, fill a shot glass halfway with peach schnapps. Gently pour Bailey's Irish Cream on top. After the shot is almost full, carefully add a small amount of blue curacao. After it settles, add a few drops of grenadine syrup. (Via Neatorama.)
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
[Off Topic] TOS: "The Grey: A Great Reminder of Crucial Truths"
Off-topic: The blog for The Objective Standard has posted my short piece, "The Grey: A Great Reminder of Crucial Truths".
Drive-by Gun Scans Prompt Privacy Questions
Legal implications of terahertz imaging: "Drive-by Gun Scans Prompt Privacy Questions"
The World's First Computer Password Was Useless, Too
"The world's first computer password? It was useless, too."
Monday, January 30, 2012
204 Lay's Potato Chip Flavors from Around the World
"204 Lay's Potato Chip Flavors from Around the World"
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