|
Der Spiegel has a nice
slideshow
of pedestrian icons from walk/don't walk signs around the world.
This one—my favorite—is from Prague. |  |
Russian (Soviet era) slide-rule-like calculator on eBay:
Way cool logo.
[updated at 13:55 PST]
It's not a slide rule in the sense that the two scales don't slide relative to each other. One knob rotates the entire face and the other knob rotates the red pointer. Instructions here.
Way cool logo.
[updated at 13:55 PST]
It's not a slide rule in the sense that the two scales don't slide relative to each other. One knob rotates the entire face and the other knob rotates the red pointer. Instructions here.
I watched
Three
Identical Strangers yesterday and really liked it.
Intense subject matter.
And the setting was familiar: I'm about the same age as the triplets and also from New York. It doesn't spoil the movie to say that it reënacts a scene where a 19‑year‑old gets a speeding ticket on New York State Route 17. My first speeding ticket (68 in a 55 zone) was on Route 17 when I was 20.
And the setting was familiar: I'm about the same age as the triplets and also from New York. It doesn't spoil the movie to say that it reënacts a scene where a 19‑year‑old gets a speeding ticket on New York State Route 17. My first speeding ticket (68 in a 55 zone) was on Route 17 when I was 20.
Acting US Attorney General Matthew Whitaker was questioned by the
House Judiciary Committee today. I listened to the action this
morning (until it was time to meet a friend for some climbing).
Whitaker, like many before him in such situations, wasted time
in attempts to run out each representative's short allotment.
Questioners demanded yes or no answers, usually to no avail.
Whitaker is a dastard but at least
it was encouraging to see Democrats assert themselves more now
that they are the majority in the House.
As long as we're on the subject of how to deal with questions: I like how John Paul Jones of Led Zeppelin handled a dopey request from David Letterman (at 8:20 in this YouTube clip from 2012).
As long as we're on the subject of how to deal with questions: I like how John Paul Jones of Led Zeppelin handled a dopey request from David Letterman (at 8:20 in this YouTube clip from 2012).
| From an
appreciation
of John von Neumann in the Feb. 25, 1957
issue of Life magazine.
Speaking of dogs (mathematically named or otherwise), I watched Pick of the Litter this week and liked it. I can't remember any other movie making me cry as much as this one did. |  |
Boeing
KC-46 tanker at 20,000' this afternoon.
Contrails from wingtip vortices of the jet being refueled.
Contrails from wingtip vortices of the jet being refueled.
Back in 2005,
I blogged
about an idiosyncrasy of an early version of Google Maps,
specifically that it (wrongly) assigned the same street name
to a bunch of paths (not necessarily paved) in my neighborhood.
14 years later, Google Maps seems to give the same name to every street in a neighborhood in Germany. But it's not a street name because the streets there have no names. Houses in the area are numbered, and not strictly in sequence. You just have to know which street a house is on.
A 2013 referendum on introducing street names failed but another referendum is scheduled for this summer. There are evidently strongly‑held views on both sides.
14 years later, Google Maps seems to give the same name to every street in a neighborhood in Germany. But it's not a street name because the streets there have no names. Houses in the area are numbered, and not strictly in sequence. You just have to know which street a house is on.
A 2013 referendum on introducing street names failed but another referendum is scheduled for this summer. There are evidently strongly‑held views on both sides.
Footnotes and endnotes both have pros and cons. In most cases
I like footnotes better. If the reader has to hunt for a note
on another page, they often don't bother.
Footnotes pose typographic problems. If the last sentence on a page refers to a footnote, making room for the footnote may boot the sentence to the next page.
HTML has no provision for footnotes (nor endnotes) because the HTML Working Group couldn't reach consensus on how to do it.
Footnotes pose typographic problems. If the last sentence on a page refers to a footnote, making room for the footnote may boot the sentence to the next page.
HTML has no provision for footnotes (nor endnotes) because the HTML Working Group couldn't reach consensus on how to do it.
From my
back yard this morning.
GE uses this plane to test engines.
GE uses this plane to test engines.
 |  |
| Graphic from a (mediocre) article Firefox recommended this morning. | Track of a plane in my area this morning. |
Yes, I am easily amused.
Yay—a year with 19 in it. Enjoy it while it lasts.
I read a bunch of political blogs but for several reasons I don't generally list them on my blogroll. But starting today I'm linking to Yastreblyanksy's blog, one of my favorites. His blogroll lists a plethora of political blogs for those who want more.
A couple months ago, I mentioned that the Bank of England was looking to put a scientist's portrait on a redesigned £50 note and was soliciting suggestions. The bank says they got 227,299 nominations during the six‑week window for submitting names from which they've made a list of 991 people who meet their initial criteria (they are sufficiently real and dead and have contributed to science in the UK). The Banknote Character Advisory Committee will now consider the candidates' merits, with a final decision expected this summer.
I nominated Paul Dirac and he's on the list (no surprise).
227299 is prime, as is 991.
Happy new year, everyone.
I read a bunch of political blogs but for several reasons I don't generally list them on my blogroll. But starting today I'm linking to Yastreblyanksy's blog, one of my favorites. His blogroll lists a plethora of political blogs for those who want more.
A couple months ago, I mentioned that the Bank of England was looking to put a scientist's portrait on a redesigned £50 note and was soliciting suggestions. The bank says they got 227,299 nominations during the six‑week window for submitting names from which they've made a list of 991 people who meet their initial criteria (they are sufficiently real and dead and have contributed to science in the UK). The Banknote Character Advisory Committee will now consider the candidates' merits, with a final decision expected this summer.
I nominated Paul Dirac and he's on the list (no surprise).
227299 is prime, as is 991.
Happy new year, everyone.