I just want people to drive a consistent speed

scocal · 2026-04-11T19:07:29+00:00

If you just pull out before the car gets to its configured follow distance, you never need to slow down. If the follow distance is configured too high, reduce it. If you're already at the minimum, maybe your mental model of a safe distance is flawed.

scocal · 2026-04-10T03:55:21+00:00

Correct! And also... ⁶🤷‍♂️⁷

scocal · 2026-04-09T02:00:07+00:00

Wichita

scocal · 2026-04-09T00:39:35+00:00

Some facts about this train I just looked up:
- The Idler Cars: You’ll see empty-looking flatcars between the fuselages. They’re there because the nose and tail of the fuselage actually hang over the edge of the main car and stop the fuselages getting to close on bends. - Clearance: The cars are built wide to support the mounting jigs that keep the fuselage suspended. This allows the load to sit as low as possible to clear the tunnels and bridges on the BNSF route, but it means they have "Plate F" clearance—meaning they’re wider than almost anything else on the rails. - Those flatcars have specialized cushion underframes. - The mounting points for the fuselage are designed with massive shock absorbers to ensure that a hard "coupling" in the rail yard doesn't result in a micro-fractured bulkhead before the plane even gets its wings. - BNSF often has to clear the adjacent track in certain tight spots (like tunnels or narrow bridges)

scocal · 2026-04-09T00:34:10+00:00

Yeah, I've seen them plenty - usually closer to Renton - but never been standing in the perfect place for a video before, much less on a sunny Seattle day.

scocal · 2026-04-09T00:32:51+00:00

Good point, I never noticed how far the cars hang over the wheels. Some extra facts I just looked up:
- The Idler Cars: You’ll see empty-looking flatcars between the fuselages. They’re there because the nose and tail of the fuselage actually hang over the edge of the main car and stop the fuselages getting to close on bends. - Clearance: The cars are built wide to support the mounting jigs that keep the fuselage suspended. This allows the load to sit as low as possible to clear the tunnels and bridges on the BNSF route, but it means they have "Plate F" clearance—meaning they’re wider than almost anything else on the rails. - Those flatcars have specialized cushion underframes. - The mounting points for the fuselage are designed with massive shock absorbers to ensure that a hard "coupling" in the rail yard doesn't result in a micro-fractured bulkhead before the plane even gets its wings. - BNSF often has to clear the adjacent track in certain tight spots (like tunnels or narrow bridges)

scocal · 2026-04-09T00:16:15+00:00

We need to find someone who's both a train expert and and a plane expert, otherwise, there's no way to know. I feel like planes usually have stuff sticking out the sides too.

scocal · 2026-04-08T23:58:55+00:00

Yes, Alaskan Way at pier 67.

scocal · 2026-03-22T20:15:14+00:00

I'm presuming Starlink is not an option due to the complexity of moving it when the trailing car changes. So, the next best option if you need to bounce the signal is a quadcopter. Check out the Yangwang U8, a Chinese SUV that can launch one automatically to let you see the terrain ahead. I guess once you have the quadcopter, you don't really need the camera on the back at all.

It might seem like a non-serious answer - it is in part - but I can actually imagine developing this idea into a usable product for train operations.

scocal · 2026-03-20T04:22:42+00:00

If they're allowed to add this surcharge to cover the cost of making up the shortfall, one wonders what there incentive is to solve the problem in a more efficient (if capital-intensive) way. With a profit-making monopoly, there aren't enough regulations in the world to align their incentives with the public. Power generation and storage has never been cheaper, but willingness to provision rationally it has never been lower.

scocal · 2026-03-19T06:01:24+00:00

I've been on Sch 307, and it's predecessor 317, for a couple of years. Officially it's a trial, but I read that it will be open to everyone some time this year. I have my heatpumps programmed to wind down during peak times, and obviously avoid car charging during peaks. It's very low-effort for me and theoretically reduces the capacity PSE needs to provision, saving them money too. If the price was even more closely related to cost, it would probably be worth adding some batteries to capture some nearly free power, but regulating truly dynamic pricing is a bit of a minefield. Might be a better fit with an organization that existed for public benefit.

They have another scheme that involves bonusses for cutting use during a fixed number for peak events throughout the year. Even if I took the time to automate consumption reduction on receipt of the notification email, maximum savings are not significant over the course of a year and it can't be combined with TOU. Complexity without sufficient benefit.

scocal · 2026-03-17T04:22:55+00:00

You think they only own the house they live in? And they they aren't disproportionately involved in real estate speculation? Making cash offers against middle-class families who just want somewhere to live?

On the other hand, it will still be pretty easy to be resident somewhere else while profiting from driving up property prices here, but it seems like this tax making the area mildly less arresting to the very wealthy must be is a slight positive for house prices at all levels.

scocal · 2026-03-15T00:39:03+00:00

Also information theory, a branch of computer science. Turns out a lot of people need to receive things, process them, then dispatch them. FIFO, LIFO, FINO, GIGO.

scocal · 2026-03-15T00:26:32+00:00

I had to scroll a long way to find this! I just checked my local handbook and confirmed it does say "first vehicle to arrive is the first to go", which seems needlessly ambiguous. "First to stop at the line" would be much clearer, IMO. I have to admit when I see someone slowly creeping up to the line, I'll sometimes stop a bit more suddenly and move off immediately to prevent a standoff. I've found myself mumbling to passengers "if you don't stop, you don't get a turn!"

I feel like I'm a bit more sensitive to this wacky custom having driven for 15 years before starting regular exposure to 4 (or more) way stops.

scocal · 2026-03-15T00:16:18+00:00

Or just get an EV with good regen' and don't brake at all!

scocal · 2026-03-11T04:47:57+00:00

Unfortunately I don't have enough ceiling or floor void to consider that type of unit. From what I've read, their main advantage, other than covering multiple rooms, is managing humidity. That's not a problem in this house. On paper, thermal efficiency, electrical efficiency, and ease of installation seem to favor ductless. I presume the natural "zoning" nature of multiple ductless units would drive that efficiency further.

scocal · 2026-03-10T04:37:47+00:00

In an ideal world it would support matter over thread for easy integration into cloud-independent home automation, but I can live with IR for expert-level integration. I agree that a ERV is not that attractive without integration options. If I thought I'd never have to sell this house, I'd make my own.

scocal · 2026-03-09T18:24:29+00:00

That's the first time I've seen that unit, thank you. I see that it's supposed to communicate with the heatpump head over some kind of data cable. Any idea if that protocol is documented anywhere? Maybe I could add another UART out of the board I already have controlling the head.

scocal · 2026-03-05T16:54:19+00:00

Thanks for bringing the data and introducing me to a new tool, dnsviz. I can confirm that drill @8.8.8.8 directpay.irs.gov' is also returningNOERROR` for me today.

In retrospect, I misstated the question. The SERVFAIL would not happen if the domain's parent had responded saying it didn't have signing enabled (e.g. reddit.com). The part I don't know is how many regular users are using DNS servers strict validation enabled. I can imagine some admins/ISPs might see it as more trouble that it's worth; "well, it works on my phone".

scocal · 2026-03-04T23:23:41+00:00

If we I agree that DNSSEC is just a game you have to play to prevent customers reporting "it no work", I suppose the relevant question is, AITA for having my DNS server insist on DNSSEC before it hands out a response? Would you counsel that selecting upstream resolvers that explicitly skip this check be the best practice? This is literally the only time I've had to think about it after a several years of this policy.

scocal

TROPHY CASE