An insatiable appetite for fuel has been a primary reason for countless wars – disguised, of course, as the good “fight for democracy”. Several alternative energy sources are dismissed as being too “inefficient”to be of any practical use. However, as this wikipedia entry suggests, about a hundred years ago, rechargeable battery operated cars ran upto a mind-boggling 340km on a single charge, while 130km per charge was guaranteed. Granted, top speed was 20km, but adequate for city driving (have you been in a fast moving traffic jams that is ubiquitous the world over?). It’s a bit hard to believe that despite all progress, there are no commercially viable batteries, after 100 years! Or maybe it is so by choice?
Presidential ageing: Time lapse photography
Take a fascinating look at how US presidents age when in office; & get a feel of what drives such immense physical change.
Australian Indians, the originals [Article]
Researchers (how do they do this, I wonder) have traced about 11% of the genomes in contemporary Australian Aborigines to migrants from India – 4000 years ago! Them, & the ancestors of the dingo. That is roughly 141 generations ago. I guess its a little more material to work with for those really keen on genealogy!
Surfing lessons from a 5 year old [Video]
Take inspiration, & surfing lessons, from Cameron, a 5 year old surfer, especially about why he let falling off disappoint him.
Big Mama Thornton, [Video]
I’m listening to quite a bit of blues music, going back a few decades, not years. Here’s a short selection Big Mama Thornton singing “Ball N Chain” and “Hound Dog“. If you like this, enjoy over four hours of blues on a playlist, from the American Blues & Folk Festival, 1962-1965.
Instant Ice, anyone? [Video]
Dmitry Klimensky demonstrates, from Novosibirsk, Russia, what happens when he throws a pot full of hot water out into the -41C air. And check out the scientific explanation of this effect, aka Mpemba effect, after a schoolboy from Tanzania, claimed in his science class that icecream would freeze faster if it was heated first before being put in the freezer. As the article says, the laughter stopped when a school inspector tried the experiment himself, & vindicated Erasto Mpemba.
Jann Arden & Jackson Browne, Unloved [Video]
A moving song about people drifting apart, Jann Arden & Jackson Browne, Unloved. Lyrics at the bottom of the page on the youtube video, here
What it feels to ride a rocket [Video]
Elon Musk (yeah, the fellow who created PayPal, & now dabbles in ideas to get to Mars) shared this incredible video of a controlled rocket launch & relanding. SpaceX’s Grasshopper takes a 12-story leap towards full and rapid rocket reusability in a test flight conducted December 17, 2012 at SpaceX’s rocket development facility in McGregor, Texas. Grasshopper, a vertical takeoff and landing vehicle (VTVL), rose 131 feet (40 meters), hovered and landed safely on the pad using closed loop thrust vector and throttle control. The total test duration was 29 seconds. Grasshopper stands 10 stories tall and consists of a Falcon 9 rocket first stage, Merlin 1D engine, four steel landing legs with hydraulic dampers, and a steel support structure.
The story behind This note’s for you [Video]
In July of 1988, almost immediately after their world première of Neil Young’s “This Note’s for You” — a song and video in which various high profile musicians are mocked for endorsing brands such as Pepsi and Michelob — MTV placed a station-wide ban on the video due to “problems with trademark infringement.” In response, Young offered to re-shoot the video; however, MTV claimed the lyrics were just as problematic. Furious, he wrote the following open letter to the station’s executives.
6th July, 1988
MTV, you spineless twerps. You refuse to play “This Note’s For You” because you’re afraid to offend your sponsors. What does the “M” in MTV stand for: music or money? Long live rock and roll.
Neil Young
The stand-off was big news, and MTV eventually reversed the ban. “This Note’s for You” went on to win Video of The Year at the MTV Video Music Awards. source: Letters of Note
The fast way to allergies [article]
In another article from the Guardian, health editor Sarah Boseley sheds light on research that is showing strong links between fast food consumption & asthma & allergies, especially in young children & teenagers.