Cool math trick: Converting between miles and kilometers

taken from: http://www.mnn.com/earth-matters/wilderness-resources/blogs/cool-math-trick-converting-between-miles-and-kilometers

Too great not to share:

The Fibonacci sequence is made up of numbers that are the sum of the previous two numbers in the sequence, starting with 0 and 1.



It's 0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, 55, 89, 144…


1 is 0+1, 2 is 1+1, 3 is 1+2, 5 is 2+3, and 8 is 3+5. The number after 144 is 233, or 89+144.

The Fibonacci number describes the golden spiral, an ideal form much beloved by designers everywhere. Interestingly, it also neatly matches the relationship between kilometers and miles. Three miles is five kilometers, five miles is eight kilometers, eight miles is 13 kilometers. It's not perfect, eight miles is actually 12.875 kilometers, but it's close enough in a pinch.

If you need to convert a number that's not on the Fibonacci sequence, you can just break out the Fibonacci numbers, convert, and add the answers. For instance, 100 can be broken down into 89 + 8 + 3, all Fibonacci numbers. The next numbers are 144, 13, and 5, which add up to 162. 100 miles is actually equal to 160.934. Again, close enough.

Math is cool.

Our disposable culture

I follow elephantjournal.com and found this post today:

cloth-vs-disposable-and-the-use-of-water

It makes the argument that the accepted disposable diapers save water is incorrect since refining petroleum also requires water. And the fact is that water usage is not the key factor since it is re-newable where as petroleum is limited resource.

I also thought the augment in favor of disposables was also the energy and water use required for cleaning and drying reusable diapers. I agree that the disposable expends non-reusable resources in production and then takes up space in a landfill if it doesn't end up in the ocean. I refer anyone to search the "pacific plastic patch" or check out my post .

We must start considering all costs- especially the hidden costs of disposable goods. We must change. I also recommend "the story of stuff". It really has changed the way I think about spending my money and the products I buy.

I don't know what the future will bring, but I know we must change. Given our failing (or failed) economy, we need a future system that is not so centered on endless consumption of limited expendable resources.  A part of that is changing our disposable is good mindset.  We became so centered on economic growth we never considered the consequences.

Another thing that never should have fallen in disfavor is using the sun (when available) to dry clothes.

I have been busy with work and school (I am now in graduate school) so my blogging time is in short supply, but as always you comments are welcome and I will do my best to respond.

Frank

Unintended Consquences: You never know everything.

 
I have another partially written blog post about this that I don't have time to finish right now, but I don't see a reason not to share this now.
 
A quick summary on unintended consquences: they can be both good or bad.  I do not think this is a reason not to attempt something- but it is something to always be aware of.
 

A Whole new mind: Part II

I am about two-thirds the way through A Whole New Mind: Why Right-Brainers Will Rule the Future.  I really am enjoying this book and the author is referencing quite a few other books that I have read including: Social Intelligence: The New Science of Human Relationships, Emotional Intelligence: 10th Anniversary Edition; Why It Can Matter More Than IQ and http://face.paulekman.com/products.aspx.


The first part the author makes argument how this have changed and will change in the future.  He makes a compelling argument about the reason of job exports to Asia. As someone who alway decried the erosion of America's manufacturing base and felt government and corporations were short sighted in allowing it to happen I am now changing my attitude and not that I am for it- I do feel many mistakes were made in the last few decades, but I now have the perspective of how ineviable it was. 

The author further talks about how knowledge works (engineers, lawyers, programmers, mostly left-brain careers, etc.) have begun and will quickly more to Asia and then be replaced by computer automation.

His direction is that it will be combining left brain logically activatives with right brain creative activities for future productivity.  For example, Japan- the traditional left brain logical based ecomonies biggest export is now pop-culture (another head smack!).

Just a few quick thoughts for now on a book I would already recommend that I picked up via Amazon.com picks.

Also, I do not take a lot of time to proof-read- and I am awful at grammar- so if I miss something I apologize.

Jeff King at http://authorsunion.blogspot.com/, a blog I love- posed a question a few weeks ago asking our biggest faults- which after thinking about it I first thought focus, but I realized it was actually procrastination.  I have 30 drafted blog posts that are not published because they are incomplete.  I also didn't get to comment on his blog since I am having some kind of issue.  So, as a note I wanted throw a shout out thank you to Jeff.

Anyway, thanks for reading!  And I would love to know what you think.

Frank

Give blood—its good for you and good for others

I believe that are we progress in knowledge we will keep rediscovering ancient knowledge. We now have tools that allow us to share knowledge and move closer to the Truth. I will blog more on this topic later (Pyramid of Truth), but right now I would like to speak on the subject for health. In systems theory all things affect all other things in unpredictable ways.

In The 4 Hour Body book, link, he mentions that give blood regular may have additional health benefits, especially for men (women’s menstrual cycle may have a similar effect) since blood have hold toxins that are introduced to the body. The ancients Greeks believed in the balance of the four fluids of the body. And during the dark ages “Blood letting” was a common practice as a cure for a variety of aliments. And during the industrial revolutions till now it was considered barbaric and ignorant. Now we are relearning that maybe there weren’t too wrong.

The bottom line is donate blood is good for the overall society. You might save a life. In addition there are other reasons and it might be healthier for you to give blood. Yes, there are stories about getting infected during blood donation, but I for one believe it to be safe.

The Save-a-blade

Ok, so we live in a disposable society and not only should it change, not only must it change, but eventually it will change. The real question is how bad things get before it does.

I recommend everyone take a look at:
thestoryofstuff.com


Enough preaching. An easy choice to improve things if you shave is the save-a-blade, check the link to the right to get it on amazon.  I have also seen them at Walgreens in the as-seen-on-tv section.

It sharpens razor blades (and those things are expensive!).

I have had mine for two years now. I would actually buy a higher end one is one was available. I changed the battery once.
I use it with the mach 3.


Gillette Mach3 Cartridge 12-Count, actually looks like that are cheaper on amazon.com than anywhere else I have seen them.

Beware though: some disposable razors work better than others. I use a Mach 3.

The four blade disposables have a clear wrapping or something you have to remove which is an additional pain. I have always had good results.

Now, nothing compares to a fresh new blade, but that lasts one or two shares at most at least for me. I have gone through 2 blades in the last 2+ years. Compared to getting maybe a full week without using the Save a Blade Automatic Razor Sharpener. Actually, I recently started growing my beard out- the best solution for me at least.

It seems like a little thing, but until we start with these little changes we are never going to get to the big changes than are necessary for our future.

Standing Desks- other advantages

So I am on my third day with a standing desk. (Actually, it takes me about a minute to convert back so it is actually a standing/sitting dual desk (SSDD- NASA background- can’t resist). I do have a low level of fatigue and my run last night felt like I was dragging a car behind me. Of course, I have stood now about 12 hours in the last two days when I would have sat. There is no question that standing burns more calories or works my leg muscles more. Anyway, I have been thinking about the ancillary advantages to standing desks other than the health benefits. Here are my ideas on how offices may/should change in the future.



Sitting is awkward and not just for people. The design of a sitting desk wastes a lot of space. Convert to a standing desk and there is storage space available under the desk. Eliminate cube walls and most office chairs. Yes, sorry cube wall and office chair industry but you are useless. (Send your robot ninja assassins anytime.) And of course office chairs do have some use- so it should probably just be a smaller industry. That eliminates two hardware costs and frees up floor space.

The main problem is an adjustable desk height (a function now preformed by adjustable chairs). One easy solution for desks along walls is to use adjustable rail shelves. Actually there would be a difference between fixed (static) adjustable and dynamic adjustable, but it certainly is not a difficult design issue.



I was thinking about this overnight and just wanted to put this out there since most of the discussions about standing desks are about the health benefits. So in summary standing desks versus sitting desks:

-Remove cube walls – completely useless other than a place for me to push pin papers too

-remove most office chairs

-increase storage space since your legs are no under the desk



On day three and I am definitely feeling the effects of the extra standing. From what I understand it takes a few weeks to adjust and this is not something I am doing with the expectation of increasing my weight loss. Weight loss is more affected by high intensity cardio and resistance training and mostly by eating the right foods. Please let me know what you think.



I am the talk of the office since I am the only person standing all day. Someone just said I remind them of “Star Trek” where people in the background on the bridge are at the equivalent of standing desks. HahaHA! Excelsior!!

A Standing Desk

So I have been reading a lot on different blogs about standing desks and then I saw this “sitting is killing you“ that I found on John Durant’s blog hunter-gatherer.com. One of the comments correct stated that link between increased sitting and weight gain is a correlation and not a causation, but I believe it is quite clear that standing has many benefits to sitting, if you are fit enough and physically able to do it. Also, recent studies have shown that diet is more key to weight loss (fat loss) and that exercise is actually more for maintain weight (preventing) gain.

I will repeat the fact that our obesity epidemic here in America (and the world is following us) is a systemic problem. Yes, our food is a factor and our hectic lifestyles. And while we each do have personal responsibility it is still a system problem that has system solutions.

I think that it is obvious that many of our health problems are related to the reduction in physical activity and for complete health we all should get a good amount of regular activity. Something John Durant mentions is being physical not just for good health but also for survival. While we have (opposite of chronic) for chronic health dangers- there may be instantance when we are confronted with an immediate physical danger. Since everyone here in New York is talking about the world ending in a few days who knows what is in store for us.

I have been thinking of switching to a standing desk for the last few weeks and the above link prompted me to take the plunge. It took me about 5 minutes to move my laptop to a shelf at stomach height and figure out how to re-configure Windows to position my laptop and desktop screen. So that was easy. It also helps that I can convert back quickly.


I spent about 6 hours total standing when I would normally be mostly sitting. I felt good and energized. I still made my run that night. I ran two miles instead of my normal three, but it was raining intensely. I had heard at my barefoot meetup.com that running barefoot in the rain might cause blisters, but I didn’t have a problem. I thought it might be too cold as it was in the mid to low sixties, but that was also not a problem.


I am now on my second day and I made it from 6:30am to about 9:30am until I had to sit. The main benefit of my simple conversation is how quickly I can change back and forth as needed. I sat for an hour and then felt the “need” to stand again. I made it until lunch and sat for while eat. I am back standing at my desk and feeling fitter.

I will share about this again next week.