This topic tends to annoy me a lot. Ever since I was in high school, I had a burning passion to get out of the house. Of course, if my parents were paying anything I'd be beholden to them, so I tried to minimize that as much as possible. I've even go so far as to tell my parents that if I suddenly find myself unemployed I'd rather get on the dole queue than come home. I do pretty well for a person two years out of college - my own apartment, car, good savings.

My... [more]
posted to MetaFilter by backseatpilot at 3:39 PM on July 25, 2008

Three minutes of flight time is pretty impressive for that tiny little thing.

These are sort of the Holy Grail of UAVs right now, I think. Lightweight, quiet, unobtrusive - a solider or operative could carry one in his pocket and fly it right in to a building, land it somewhere out of the way, and you now have an intelligence source inside an otherwise impenetrable building.

DARPA's all over these things like flies on shit.
posted to MetaFilter by backseatpilot at 3:35 PM on July 22, 2008

This was a little before my time, unfortunately. I had to get my kicks setting off firecrackers in the Pine Barrens.
posted to MetaFilter by backseatpilot at 5:25 PM on July 21, 2008

I am unnaturally excited about this blog.
posted to MetaFilter by backseatpilot at 8:56 AM on July 15, 2008

Harvard College? Oh, those little creeps are sooo much more wordly and mature than...eh, they probably are.

Hang around Harvard Square for a couple hours and then come back and say that with a straight face.
posted to MetaFilter by backseatpilot at 6:33 AM on July 10, 2008

Looks interesting.

This reminds me of an airplane "race" I was in. For a bunch of amateurs (students in our case) with a wide variety of equipment, I think this style of race is the fairest way to go:

We were given four or five coordinates where there would be a landmark ("White Church") and a symbol traced out on the ground with black tarpaulin. We had a set amount of time (half an hour, if I remember right) to plot a... [more]
posted to MetaFilter by backseatpilot at 7:44 AM on July 8, 2008

I can't wait until the eight-lane freeways are opened to bicycle traffic. The bike paths are getting really crowded around here.
posted to MetaFilter by backseatpilot at 6:58 PM on July 5, 2008

Wow... I am incredibly boring.

*turns on Matlock, falls asleep at 8:30*
posted to MetaFilter by backseatpilot at 6:52 PM on July 5, 2008

Yeah, I've had firsthand experience with this pretty much since I started noticing girls, but every time one of these articles comes out it still depresses me.

Reminds of the relationship the ended as a direct result of me sending her flowers. How do I get into these situations?
posted to MetaFilter by backseatpilot at 7:59 AM on July 3, 2008

They call me Dr. Worm,
Good morning, how are you?
I'm Dr. Worm.
I'm interested in things;
I'm not a real doctor
But I am a real worm
I am an actual worm.
I live like a worm.
posted to MetaFilter by backseatpilot at 4:50 AM on July 2, 2008

Ah, but here's a neat trick - If you have a silver compound in solution, spin it up, and then precipitate out the silver with a standard redox reaction, you have a wonderful solid mirror.
posted to MetaFilter by backseatpilot at 3:34 PM on July 1, 2008

The thought crossed my mind, but you've already got the liquid being accelerated out to the edge of the disk, so I don't think the precipitate would go much further - especially if there's not much liquid to begin with. The problem would be drag induced on the particles as they separate out, but again, with a low enough Reynold's number (i.e. slow rotation) the effects would be negligible.
posted to MetaFilter by backseatpilot at 5:49 PM on July 1, 2008

Now that I think about this... they did this on Mythbusters to build the solar-powered death ray. Except they spun plaster, which created a parabola and then hardened, which was used as a mold for a mirror. Or they lined it with foil or something, I forget.

I still think you could deposit silver on a flat plate using this method. Once it gets up to speed there's surprisingly little radial movement in the water disk. I think, due to the radial inertia and the... [more]
posted to MetaFilter by backseatpilot at 6:29 PM on July 1, 2008

I've only ever seen one non-uniformed person openly carry a firearm and it scared the piss out of me when I did. It was when I was working at the local airport; he got out of a helicopter with a pistol stuck down the back of his pants and his shirt tucked behind it to deliberately expose the weapon. From this experience, I have a hard time understanding how open-carry can be conducive to having a relaxed, generally good-natured society.
posted to MetaFilter by backseatpilot at 8:10 AM on June 26, 2008

I grew up in Jersey and I still can't figure out the appeal of these monstrosities. I wouldn't mind having a giant, semi-abandoned building next door, though. Imagine all the fun you can have endlessly walking down the up escalators.
posted to MetaFilter by backseatpilot at 8:07 PM on June 16, 2008

People reviewing my company say the pay is low. I'm making 15% more here than I was at my old job. What does that say about my previous employer?
posted to MetaFilter by backseatpilot at 5:11 PM on June 16, 2008

Come on, it's gotta be worth something that I could stick so many pencils in the ceiling tiles.
posted to MetaFilter by backseatpilot at 5:13 PM on June 16, 2008

I wouldn't mind letting them in the house once in awhile if it wasn't for that constant pooping issue.
posted by crapmatic at 9:05 AM on June 15 [+] [!]

Heh.
posted to MetaFilter by backseatpilot at 9:18 AM on June 15, 2008

When I worked on general aviation avionics, we (the non-software guys) always marveled at the ridiculous bugs that would creep into our systems.

Then I read about this - all of the computer systems on a squadron of F-22s crashing because they crossed the International Date Line. Made me feel a little less ashamed at our own failings.
posted to MetaFilter by backseatpilot at 11:53 AM on June 6, 2008

The fact that these fouled sensors took out the whole airplane is pretty bad, yes. As far as allowing such a high angle of attack or not "punching in the turbo", well, those are design choices.

Of course it's slow on takeoff and looks sluggish. It's a bomber; it weighs over 300,000 pounds on the ramp and it doesn't need to be agile. It's designed to haul massive amounts of munitions halfway across the globe, not get in dogfights. You may as well ask Ford... [more]
posted to MetaFilter by backseatpilot at 12:15 PM on June 6, 2008

I totally agree with you there, that's why UAVs have such appeal right now. 20 years ago, though, the technology wasn't really mature enough.

The reason for these expensive aircraft is survivability, I think. Sure, we can fight with cheaper equipment, but it requires more pilots and crew and, ultimately, more casualties. Public sentiment right now basically mandates that as few of "our boys" get killed as possible.
posted to MetaFilter by backseatpilot at 12:33 PM on June 6, 2008

I don't know how a computer could compensate for a pilot pulling the stick early

There are a couple ways, actually. There's the "stick shaker" which activates if your pitch is too high and airspeed too low - it literally shakes the controls to warn the pilot of impending stall. Some aircraft autopilots will force the nose down despite the pilot trying to pitch the airplane up.

Stalling an airplane on takeoff is... [more]
posted to MetaFilter by backseatpilot at 1:00 PM on June 6, 2008

I certainly hope that bicycle's built really well. Not even considering the vibration from the pulse jet, the bike would probably start to shake itself apart if tolerances around the moving parts are sloppy.

He should totally put some wings on it, though.
posted to MetaFilter by backseatpilot at 9:25 AM on May 28, 2008

My parents have one of those in pristine condition. It's awesome.
posted to MetaFilter by backseatpilot at 1:01 PM on May 22, 2008

At first I thought the ruling meant that everything that passed through Congress needed to be transcribed into Braille.

My uncle, who is blind, never seems to have a problem handling paper money. He keeps money in order of denomination in his wallet and just remembers how many of each bill he has.
posted to MetaFilter by backseatpilot at 9:59 AM on May 20, 2008

I don't like saying never, but it's a real long shot that you'll have a 100% solar aircraft outside of sport aircraft. Weather is really the issue - airplanes need to get places, and aircraft that can only fly in clear blue skies won't get sold. Small airplanes can't fly above the weather. Bizjets and commercial aircraft won't be able to take off, which will make an already cranky flying public even angrier.

Yes, you can put batteries or other propulsion systems on to... [more]
posted to MetaFilter by backseatpilot at 8:38 AM on May 11, 2008

Oh, and to address this Hy-brid specifically - don't hold your breath. A very high fraction of announcements in the aviation world turn into vaporware; if they're lucky, they'll build one or two prototypes before the company goes bankrupt.

Where did you get "later this summer" from their website? As far as I can tell, they don't even have a real airplane yet. It's a bad sign when there's a lot of hype and the only images are computer renderings. If they... [more]
posted to MetaFilter by backseatpilot at 8:43 AM on May 11, 2008

I agree with your point, but there are two reasons that I can see to focus on cutting greenhouse gases in, say, automobiles, instead of aircraft. First is that more people drive than fly. Second is that you'll never see equivalent ridership in aircraft and automobiles. So, I think having more marginal gains in a larger number of vehicles - by increasing mileage ratings in cars, for example - will provide a cheaper and more substantial impact than focusing on fuel economy in aircraft.... [more]
posted to MetaFilter by backseatpilot at 9:25 AM on May 11, 2008

I like how the planes make all the car alarms go off.
posted by weapons-grade pandemonium

Epony- well, you know.
posted to MetaFilter by backseatpilot at 8:55 AM on May 11, 2008

Your speedometer is calibrated to the size of your wheels and tires, so as your tires wear its reading will become inaccurate. I have heard that auto manufacturers will calibrate them a little high so that people feel like they're going faster than they actually are, but the one in my car seems about spot on with my GPS.

I know for a fact that my former employer (that built avionics for small aircraft) built a fudge factor in to the airspeed indicator at the behest of... [more]
posted to MetaFilter by backseatpilot at 5:16 AM on May 8, 2008

My favorite table of all time was the Addams Family one. Mostly because it's the only table I've ever gotten a high score on.
posted to MetaFilter by backseatpilot at 1:06 PM on May 5, 2008

Funny, I just cooked up a pound of bacon in my cast iron pan. I plan on frying a pork chop in the bacon grease later. Mmm.
posted to MetaFilter by backseatpilot at 12:50 PM on May 4, 2008

It's pretty basic physics. This warranted an article in New Scientist?
posted to MetaFilter by backseatpilot at 7:16 PM on May 1, 2008

I was also going to suggest housingmaps.com. I believe that site restricts its results to by-owner listings only.
posted to MetaFilter by backseatpilot at 2:59 PM on April 30, 2008

Right now, aircraft are better than satellites for tactical surveillance. You get better resolution from aircraft, and you don't need to wait for them to come in to view over the horizon - they can just loiter over an area.

I think the desire is to have total, uninterrupted recon over an area, and this is one way to do it. The current system has some drawbacks. Aircraft need to be swapped out on a fairly regular basis. Manned aircraft lose some of their situational... [more]
posted to MetaFilter by backseatpilot at 10:00 AM on April 30, 2008

I wish I could get a replacement bumper for my car from one of those. How much does a new bumper for a Mazda cost, anyway?
posted to MetaFilter by backseatpilot at 9:52 AM on April 29, 2008

They're not exactly the reflective sort you'd hope would be circling the earth, meditating, recording their thoughts, perhaps reading great books.

Well, think of the times you've ever moved to a new city. The first couple weeks are full of wondering and reflection. After you've settled in your wondering becomes limited to what's on TV that evening. Scale that down to the size of the tin can they're living in, and naturally it would be easy to... [more]
posted to MetaFilter by backseatpilot at 6:25 AM on April 26, 2008

Flesh Friday?
posted to MetaFilter by backseatpilot at 1:01 PM on April 25, 2008

At my last job I had a large cubicle that I shared with three of my friends. It was great. We put in a couch and had a whole bunch of toys. I never got anything done.

Now I'm in an office that I share with one other person. She travels all the time, so it's basically a private office, and I get so much more done. I've always preferred to do my work alone, so this is really ideal. I can play music without wearing headphones, surf the web occasionally without feeling... [more]
posted to MetaFilter by backseatpilot at 2:06 PM on April 24, 2008

Minuteman is a cakewalk. There are far scarier in New England.

As a pilot and former airport employee, I have lots of airport stories. Like the guy who flew his Bonanza to Block Island in winter. Winter on the Atlantic Ocean tends to bring high winds and ice, and that's exactly what he got on landing - skidded right off the (relatively short) runway into a bunch of parked airplanes.

The "scary" airport back home in Jersey was Camden... [more]
posted to MetaFilter by backseatpilot at 1:27 PM on April 23, 2008

Oh, I forgot about Bader Field in Atlantic City! I think it's closed now, but when it was open it was a nightmare. There are two runways, but you can't take off from one of them and can't land on the other one - the casinos get in the way. They were also ridiculously short and poorly maintained.

That video of the Hawker running off the runway into a lake? That was at Bader.
posted to MetaFilter by backseatpilot at 1:30 PM on April 23, 2008

Interesting, I've never heard some of the limitations of CFLs before - especially mounting orientation and installation in fixtures. I replaced all the bulbs in my apartment with CFLs last year with the generic Home Depot brand, and I haven't had a complaint yet. They're mounted upside down in enclosed ceiling fixtures and I haven't lost one or been disappointed with the brightness or color. Then again, my apartment is bright red so maybe it could use some cooler light.
posted to MetaFilter by backseatpilot at 10:42 AM on April 22, 2008

I don't get Monday off, damnit. I'll still probably be the only person in the office.

In spite of my day of work, this is the kind of stuff that makes me never want to leave Boston.
posted to MetaFilter by backseatpilot at 9:27 PM on April 19, 2008

I know you are but what am I?
posted to MetaFilter by backseatpilot at 5:16 PM on April 16, 2008

Interesting article, but I'm not sure the tags fit - "freeV!@GR@" and "hotbabes"? A little much, no?
posted to MetaFilter by backseatpilot at 3:36 PM on April 16, 2008

When I was a kid we had two gaming platforms - the NES and an Apple IIe. The only game I remember playing on the Apple was Frogger, and that system suffered a hasty demise when my brother got mad at me for hogging it and dropped the floppy drives on the ground.

I had The Last Starfighter for the NES, which I think was one of my favorite games. We also had Mission: Impossible, which I was never able to figure out. And I'm ashamed to admit that, even though I've been a... [more]
posted to MetaFilter by backseatpilot at 5:22 AM on April 11, 2008

When I was their age, we had to beat other kids uphill both ways. In the snow.
posted to MetaFilter by backseatpilot at 11:54 AM on April 10, 2008

They're still used in the aviation field, too, although I've always known them as circular slide rules. The trusty E6-B is what every student pilot learns to use to calculate fuel burn, time en route, and other pertinent flight planning information.
posted to MetaFilter by backseatpilot at 4:25 PM on April 8, 2008

Is this why there are always so many idiots around Harvard Square? Christ, they don't even know how to cross the damned street.

Also, if you're going to stop and chat with your other similarly cardiganned friends, get out of the middle of the fucking sidewalk.
posted to MetaFilter by backseatpilot at 1:43 PM on April 7, 2008

I wonder if there have been any efforts to power a steam locomotive with nuclear energy. I bet that would be relatively cheap. Amazingly dangerous, require boggling amounts of security and training, and a not insignificant amount of work to develop a crash-proof containment chamber, but still relatively cheap to operate.

Personally, I think the idea of a nuclear reactor hurtling down a narrow pair of tracks at 70 or 80 miles an hour to be... exhilarating. I'm sure all... [more]
posted to MetaFilter by backseatpilot at 7:30 AM on April 3, 2008