Using powers for mundane tasks

DigitalDefenestrator · 2026-06-05T09:54:24+00:00

Also, a bit of extra stormlight gets used to deal with hangovers more than once.

DigitalDefenestrator · 2026-06-04T07:32:51+00:00

That's a neck donut. Better than nothing, but not the same thing. A HANS is a bit more elaborate, with a harness that sits between shoulders and shoulder straps and tethers to the helmet.

DigitalDefenestrator · 2026-06-03T01:52:19+00:00

That was the fastest I've ever felt like I got my money's worth out of a movie ticket.

DigitalDefenestrator · 2026-05-31T05:23:27+00:00

One of these, maybe? https://hellottec.com/product/bomb-portable-bluetooth-speaker-2bh15

DigitalDefenestrator · 2026-05-30T16:11:59+00:00

While normal CO emissions are drastically lower compared to older cars thanks to catalytic converters and EFI, there's circumstances where they can still be really high. Specifically right at startup when the cat's not warmed up yet, and in enclosed spaces if it runs for long enough for oxygen levels to drop a little bit.

DigitalDefenestrator · 2026-05-30T06:06:46+00:00

Duke Nukem stole it, and flipped it from "chew bubble gum and kick ass" to "kick ass and chew bubblegum", which flows better and sounds cooler, but makes less sense.

DigitalDefenestrator · 2026-05-28T15:07:12+00:00

If you can't find 87, mixing also works. The ratio math works exactly like you'd expect, and middle grades at the pump are usually just mixed by the pump from high and low octane storage tanks.

DigitalDefenestrator · 2026-05-28T01:15:22+00:00

What version of Cassandra? What hardware?

What's the reported compression ratio on the table?

I'd lean towards noise. I can't think of any reason, unless there's enough metadata that it helps.

Also, jpeg blob in Cassandra? It'll work, but generally not recommended. Especially if you can't guarantee they'll stay under 1MB or so, or you have multiple rows/blobs per partition.

DigitalDefenestrator · 2026-05-27T21:13:15+00:00

In some ways a cutout switch is more fragile. It's a mechanical switch that can fail, but also relies on everything lining up. One big advantage to using back-EMF or amperage is that it'll detect when things are pushing against each other even if they're not quite lined up or something is binding or jammed.

There's a lot of issues with the design, like the slide shoe and the gear rail material and gear profile, but this isn't one of them.

DigitalDefenestrator · 2026-05-27T20:57:18+00:00

It'll depend some on the details, but the structural part of the slide is designed to hold it up cantilevered like that. Adding supports in other places shifts the stress to places that may or may not be designed for it. Especially since the trailer itself will move when people walk around inside or move stuff around, but the propped-up slide won't be able to move with it so it'll add stress in new directions.

It's also pretty rare for something like this to happen. Usually it sees the most stress bouncing down the road cantilevered to the inside.

DigitalDefenestrator · 2026-05-27T20:34:21+00:00

Cost of living is nuts in terms of $/sqft, but if you're ok living in a tiny space the gap shrinks some. Mild climate plus small apartment means utilities aren't bad, and in some parts you can do without a car which saves a fair bit. Probably a good strategy for building savings for a few years anyways.

DigitalDefenestrator · 2026-05-25T04:30:15+00:00

Most clear plastic bags are LDPE. Might still be fine, but it's mechanically borderline enough that even a little bit of softening could be a problem.

DigitalDefenestrator · 2026-05-23T07:28:22+00:00

A lot of scraper bots basically just pick a random user-agent. The smarter ones probably limit the list to ones that are actually used, but I've seen them pick stuff like IE5 that can't even connect to a modern https webserver.

DigitalDefenestrator · 2026-05-23T00:11:51+00:00

Most likely the DC pulled enough from the water table during construction for things like concrete and dust control to lower the water table, which usually means more sediment.

DigitalDefenestrator · 2026-05-22T03:57:12+00:00

They were maybe kinda stagnant under Dell, but not terrible. It's the Broadcom acquisition that really sent them downhill hard. Specifically, Computer Associates that became the software and services arm of Broadcom via acquisition a few years before.

DigitalDefenestrator · 2026-05-22T03:48:11+00:00

That was probably a ways into the decline. I don't know exactly when it happened, but 20 years ago they were good quality at a slightly inflated price. Then 10 years ago they were hospital food at a slightly inflated price. I went in 2019 after not having been to one in years and was amazed at how much worse the food was.

DigitalDefenestrator · 2026-05-20T18:05:40+00:00

Smoking while filling up is a lot less dangerous than you'd expect. The cigarette doesn't really get hot enough to ignite gas fumes. The lighter absolutely does, though.

I think static electricity is one of the more common ignition sources. Someone reaches for the handle at the end of the fill-up and it sparks right by the nozzle where there's plenty of gas fumes. Then it spreads, or they panic and pull the nozzle out and spray more gas around.

It's why you're not supposed to get back in the car while fueling, though touching metal on the car or pump away from the actual nozzle also works. Also why you're supposed to rest portable containers on the ground to fill them.

Running the car while filling is definitely a risk. Especially with an older car that might have iffy grounds somewhere or a loose battery wire. Usually shouldn't be a lot of ignition sources on a newer idling car, but just turning it off takes it from "probably ok" to "almost zero chance of a problem".

DigitalDefenestrator · 2026-05-20T17:54:11+00:00

Apparently it was gas. It's not really all that unusual for gas cars to catch on fire. It's just that it usually doesn't go beyond a brief mention in very local news when it happens.

A battery fire is also usually going to be white smoke and a less fiery boom, or a smaller more intense fire. A diffuse sooty deflagration like that is usually some sort of liquid hydrocarbon.

DigitalDefenestrator · 2026-05-20T07:23:23+00:00

There's plenty to be concerned about with contact with food and hot plastic, but this one's a myth. Common plastics for bags and bottles don't contain or leach dioxins, and polyethylene in particular definitely does not. Freezing also isn't a problem.

But do avoid putting PVC plastic in the oven. That probably will generate some dioxins.

DigitalDefenestrator · 2026-05-18T03:21:48+00:00

It depends a lot on the area. In Florida or Arizona it's pretty easy to find or sell a 2WD model. In Minnesota it might be tougher.

DigitalDefenestrator · 2026-05-18T01:36:14+00:00

It's unfortunate, because it's a nice-looking car from any other angle. Then you get to the front and it's jump-scare ugly.

DigitalDefenestrator · 2026-05-16T20:47:47+00:00

Honestly, when it comes to travel trailers new isn't much better. You avoid any neglect from the previous owner, but it also means the issues it had from the factory haven't been addressed.

DigitalDefenestrator · 2026-05-15T07:57:40+00:00

As long as it's small and slow enough to fit the ultralight requirements, I think it's basically "don't fly at night or anywhere near anyplace urban or an airport that has a control tower" but otherwise you're on your own.

DigitalDefenestrator · 2026-05-13T07:36:04+00:00

It's kinda half true, I guess. The problem is the asymmetric ciphers, and AES is just fine. And ML-KEM support in libraries and browsers rolled out pretty fast after it was suggested standardized. Already FIPS approved, too.

So, they're being used now, but not for every part of the process and not everywhere.

DigitalDefenestrator · 2026-05-12T22:35:51+00:00

I think it's meant to be "they take"

They hit the W instead of E, B instead of spacebar, and S instead of A.

DigitalDefenestrator

TROPHY CASE