Mental Distraction

I read a blog right before leaving work, and didn’t want to reply until I went home.  The “debate” in my head that resulted in the previous blog had me very mentally distracted.

My wife and I had an appointment after work.
The plan was to drive straight to there from work.

I went straight home.

Once I realized my error (took my stepdaughter saying “why are you home?!?”), I drove to their office on the northwest side of the city.

The appointment was actually on the EAST side of the city (and yes, I knew that previously).

I drive to the east side, walk into the building, realize that it’s the WRONG BUILDING (next door).

I finally make it to the meeting.  Mind you, as I hate being late, I had allowed myself enough time to do all that, and still make it to the meeting early.

With Regards to Personal Responsibility

I tend to be a strong believer in “personal responsibility.” I’ve gone as far as to say “in any situation you’re involved in, your personal responsibility is always a factor.” I am going to try to state this conclusion of mine in a logical manner.

I wasn’t always this bad, I might have been WORSE.

I have always had an…”odd” sense of humor. Starting when I was in elementary school, I’d write parodies, comic skits, and drew comic strips. Of course, since we didn’t have handcams at the time, instead of video I’d do audio recordings.

I posted a personal ad when I was 23 and again when 24. You also had to make a voice greeting for it. I decided that if a prospective mate could deal with my rather crazed humor, we’d probably get along fine. So I laid it on kinda thick.

Figure it might be goood for a laugh at least. So…without further ado, an odd insight into the mind of Mad-Science. (Audio Only)
Ad 1

Ad 2

Activision/RedOctane announces Guitar Hero: Aerosmith. Have they jumped the shark?

Anyone that knows me personally, knows I’m a lifelong gamer. I also enjoy casual games such as Guitar Hero. I have every release so far, but I’m concerned with a new trend Activision may be starting. They’ve announced a future Guitar Hero release (Reuters) that is exclusively Aerosmith content.

One of the things I liked about Guitar Hero was it’s general appeal by having a large variety of music to choose from. If you want more songs from a specific band, you could download those songs (though it’s sad the Wii version has no downloadable content yet). For me, it’s a “party game,” so having varied content is a plus.

Don’t get me wrong. I like Aerosmith and they’re a decent choice (best selling american rock band). I also like Guitar Hero. But does this mean they’re going to start making releases for other specific bands? Is this a trend? Sounds like they’re feeling threatened by Rock Band’s sales. Will we be seeing a flurry of band-specific releases? Is Guitar Hero: Spinal Tap far behind? Maybe I’d be happier if they announced Guitar Hero: Dethklok or Guitar Hero: Weird Al.

High Voltage Antique – Slightly-Mad Science Video

Links to Video: Lulu Revver Vume Metacafe YouTube
I recently obtained a “Violet Wand” (not to be confused with a “Violent Wand” which is what Harry Potter fans use when you make fun of them).
It was made over 80 years ago, and still works. It’s a nice example of applied physics, and ALSO how some will try to scam you into buying quack medical devices claiming to cure almost every known disease. Perfect for Slightly-Mad Science.
Time for some antique high voltage!

How To Slightly-Mad Wrap a Gift (prank video)

Links to Video: Revver Vume Metacafe YouTube

Frequently, I choose evil and devious ways to wrap gifts. It’s a prank, but at least the gift I give them is worth the effort. Think if it as “creative gift wrapping through applied chemistry!” Make sure your intended “victim” has a decent sense of humor, and is not prone to extreme violence.

Notes: I am definitely a bit of a prankster. However, I usually try to keep it relatively harmless (other than occasional psychological scarring), or make sure that there is some payoff (like a good gift) for what my “victim” goes through. I’m evil (I prefer the term “maliciously mischevious”), not mean.

Hybrid Electric vehicles may not be a permanent solution

From ScienceDaily:
Hybrid Electric Vehicles Not As Green As They Are Painted

Problem: Viable hydrogen fuel cell vehicles are probably a long way off (this article proposes 2025).

Solution: Use Electric/Gas Hybrid vehicles until fuel cell vehicles are viable.

Problem: Electric/Hybrid vehicles are complex and costly. In the end, they may not be economically sustainable in the long run.

The main “pinch” with conventionally available hybrids are the batteries. They are frequently costly, lack energy storage density necessary for long range, and have limited charge/depletion lifespans. On one end you have lead/acid that’s cheap, but with low energy density, high weight, and limited lifespans. On the other end you have lithium, that has much higher energy density, low weight, and much longer lifespans, but is considerably more costly.

Personally, I think more attention needs to be given to non-electric hybrids. For example, a car that runs on compressed air. As silly as it sounds, compressed air has been used as a very effective power source (nail guns, pneumatic wrenches, etc). Your car needs mechanical energy to move. Compressed air is stored mechanical energy. Less energy lost due to conversion. Unlike batteries, an air tank can be charged/recharged pretty much limitlessly. Still seems too early to know if this will pan out, but the prospect is interesting.

In the end, the most viable solution (to me) is for people to shift their thinking away from large vehicles and rethink urban design to make human-powered or human/hybrid vehicles viable/safe. If you get the vehicle size/weight down, you don’t require nearly as much power to make it go. Sure, if you have a big family, you might need the SUV/minivan from time to time, but do you really need it every day for your work commute?

(note to self: need to get some winter gear so I can ride my trike during the winter without my face freezing off)

In conclusion:  There is no “silver bullet” solution to our energy needs, nor our transportation needs.  All possible solutions need to be considered in turn and weighed equally against each other – possibly making best use of all alternatives simultaneously.  The ultimate “green” transportation is walking.  Start there, and add resources to that only once it becomes impractical due to range and such.  Use the minimum necessary to get the job done effectively – and be open to new alternatives.