The Internet of ME: January 2016

Sunday, January 31, 2016

I liked a photo on Instagram: “Circular Quay” by...

I liked a photo on Instagram: “Circular Quay” by greyham http://bit.ly/1P7XsH5

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I liked a photo on Instagram: “Left my ☕️💛 in South...

I liked a photo on Instagram: “Left my ☕️💛 in South Bay.” by reneritchie http://bit.ly/1P7XsqA

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I liked a photo on Instagram: “Wine Island #mgmqmoon #🇳🇿...

I liked a photo on Instagram: “Wine Island #mgmqmoon #🇳🇿 #latergram” by mgsiegler http://bit.ly/1P7XoHr

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I liked a photo on Instagram: “Inside an iMac.” by...

I liked a photo on Instagram: “Inside an iMac.” by _ismh http://bit.ly/1RV1F6J

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I liked a photo on Instagram: “Rosè wine and oyster...

I liked a photo on Instagram: “Rosè wine and oyster shooter. #mgmqmoon #🇳🇿 #latergram” by mgsiegler http://bit.ly/1RV1EQr

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starwars: Stay close, BB-8! I appreciate how they gave BB-8...

starwars:

Stay close, BB-8!

I appreciate how they gave BB-8 real-ish feelings/emotions.

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npr: Now that the Supreme Court is considering the issue of...

npr:

Now that the Supreme Court is considering the issue of affirmative action in college admissions, all kinds of groups are weighing in. But we’re not hearing from the people who will be most affected by the court’s decision: college-bound teenagers.

The teenagers we talked to attend two suburban high schools near Washington, D.C.: One is majority black and the other school has a mix of Latino, black, white and Asian students. The 16- and 17-year-olds knew little or nothing about the case that’s before the Supreme Court — Fisher v. University of Texas at Austin — or about Abigail Fisher, the young woman who sued the university back in 2008. Fisher was denied admission because, she argued, the university wanted more minorities and she was white.

So here’s the question we asked the students:

Should College Admissions Decisions Take Race Into Consideration?

What Is Fair? High School Students Talk About Affirmative Action

Photo: Elissa Nadworny/NPR

Affirmative action is absolutely not fair.
…
But that’s the point. Pure meritocracy is the most fair way to choose the best people, but our own biases cause a radical disparity in the diversity of our choices. So we can’t operate on pure meritocracy.

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I just “liked” a video on YouTube: “STICK...

I just “liked” a video on YouTube: “STICK FIGURES AROUND THE WORLD?!?! (Special Announcement)” http://youtu.be/Z-Zr7c-J6qE

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A little sloppy in the “E,” but otherwise nice art.

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Saturday, January 30, 2016

I liked a photo on Instagram: “The view that never gets...

I liked a photo on Instagram: “The view that never gets old. Bonus points for a field to play ultimate on” by mkbhd http://bit.ly/1SjEZ0C

via Tumblr http://bit.ly/1PIeuuS

I liked a photo on Instagram: “Olympic view.” by...

I liked a photo on Instagram: “Olympic view.” by reneritchie http://bit.ly/1SjF04w

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I liked a photo on Instagram: “100% right off the iPhone....

I liked a photo on Instagram: “100% right off the iPhone. No VSCO, no straightening, nothing. #NYC 👏🏼🌆” by samsheffer http://bit.ly/1KOKbl4

via Tumblr http://bit.ly/1nVHuZV

starwars: I’m no one. Rey is a great character. It’s...

starwars:

I’m no one.

Rey is a great character. It’s just a shame that she’s wrapped up in a glorified, darker remake of “A New Hope”

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I just “liked” a video on YouTube: “How Harry...

I just “liked” a video on YouTube: “How Harry Ruined the Dursley’s Lives” http://youtu.be/4NNPKhDOlOc

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I just “liked” a video on YouTube: “Racism In...

I just “liked” a video on YouTube: “Racism In Metal” http://youtu.be/fCBKzWg4WYo

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I just “liked” a video on YouTube: “Why the...

I just “liked” a video on YouTube: “Why the Word "Millennial” Makes me Cringe" http://youtu.be/bSGqz_SE1uM

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npr: Narrowly beating a statute of limitations deadline to file...

npr:

Narrowly beating a statute of limitations deadline to file charges, prosecutors in Pennsylvania announced a felony sexual assault charge against comedian Bill Cosby Wednesday. A former Temple University employee says Cosby drugged and assaulted her in January of 2004.

Montgomery County, Pa., prosecutors have charged Bill Cosby with aggravated indecent assault – a first-degree felony.

“These charges stem from a sexual assault,” according to prosecutor Kevin Steele, who said the assault occurred at Cosby’s house in Cheltenham, a Montgomery County township that’s just outside of Philadelphia.

Steele said Cosby is expected to appear in court to be arraigned Wednesday afternoon; he also urged any other victims to contact his office.

Over the past year, Cosby has been accused of sexually abusing dozens of women. Cosby has denied those charges, and earlier this month, he filed lawsuits against seven of his accusers, saying they had made up the claims to extract money from him.

Bill Cosby Is Charged With Aggravated Indecent Assault In Philadelphia-Area Case

Hopefully they can bring him in, but I feel like it’ll be hard to find a jury willing/capable of convicting him.

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I just “liked” a video on YouTube: “Stephen...

I just “liked” a video on YouTube: “Stephen Moderates An All-Trump Debate” http://youtu.be/WpKiP_gmDS8

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I just “liked” a video on YouTube: “Star Wars:...

I just “liked” a video on YouTube: “Star Wars: The Force Awakens Movie Review [SPOILERS] (Belated Media)” http://youtu.be/_YnKOptGhPk

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I just “liked” a video on YouTube: “SUPER...

I just “liked” a video on YouTube: “SUPER MARIO MAKER (Honest Game Trailers)” http://youtu.be/y12kbiMQ17I

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Polymer breakthrough could revolutionize water purification.

technology-org:

We’ve all seen the Febreze air fresheners, which employ a derivative of corn starch to trap invisible air pollutants in the home and remove unwanted odors. A team of Cornell researchers has used the same material found in Febreze, cyclodextrin, to develop a technique that could revolutionize the …

Read more

Febreeze put to use doing something besides covering up unpleasant smells. Nice.

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Friday, January 29, 2016

I liked a photo on Instagram: “After the storm. Image by...

I liked a photo on Instagram: “After the storm.
Image by @heyitsvicki / #VSCO F3
vsco.co/heyitsvicki

#sanfrancisco” by vsco http://bit.ly/1PGmLQ1

via Tumblr http://bit.ly/1Q09T7A

I liked a photo on Instagram: “What espresso...

I liked a photo on Instagram: “What espresso problem?” by reneritchie http://bit.ly/1ShpWo1

via Tumblr http://bit.ly/1Q09UIJ

I liked a photo on Instagram: “Time for a bath” by...

I liked a photo on Instagram: “Time for a bath” by _ismh http://bit.ly/1PGmKeR

via Tumblr http://bit.ly/1TsOvgU

I liked a photo on Instagram: “Northeast of Reykjavík,...

I liked a photo on Instagram: “Northeast of Reykjavík, Iceland / Plaubel Makina 67, Fuji 400H

Making all manner of plans for this year — the calendar is looking pretty full through September already, and just started on a prospective travel itinerary for October–January. And *lots* of film photography along the way.

What are you looking forward to this year? Exciting travel plans? New projects? Life changes?

#Iceland #film #ishootfilm #filmisnotdead #filmsnotdead #fujifilm #fuji #travel” by danrubin http://bit.ly/1ShpW7G

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I liked a photo on Instagram: “Leavin Las Vegas...

I liked a photo on Instagram: “Leavin Las Vegas #latergram” by mgsiegler http://bit.ly/1PGmLzw

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I liked a photo on Instagram: “From the @slickwraps...

I liked a photo on Instagram: “From the @slickwraps villains series with art from @justinmaller” by macintoshmatt http://bit.ly/1ShpUwC

via Tumblr http://bit.ly/1TsOwBl

npr: nprfreshair: martha-my-love: GUYS (x) BRB, listening to...

npr:

nprfreshair:

martha-my-love:

GUYS (x)

BRB, listening to Sgt. Pepper on repeat.

Here’s Paul McCartney’s Fresh Air interview.

And Ringo, too.

Same, but Hey Jude. -Vesta

These are the last people that need us streaming their music. What are you doing, people?

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I just “liked” a video on YouTube: “Oceans Ate...

I just “liked” a video on YouTube: “Oceans Ate Alaska - Floorboards (Lyric Video)” http://youtu.be/wb35YFNgPtk

via Tumblr http://bit.ly/1ntHlfK

I just “liked” a video on YouTube: “Oceans Ate...

I just “liked” a video on YouTube: “Oceans Ate Alaska - Vultures And Sharks (Official Music Video)” http://youtu.be/vMZ2mAkDBH0

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“Windows phone really is dead. But Microsoft will sell you one if you’re a...

“Windows phone really is dead. But Microsoft will sell you one if you’re a fan” http://bit.ly/1SgO6iz

via Twitter

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Here's how Apple synchronized all your Apple Watches

Here's how Apple synchronized all your Apple Watches:

Read this. This is crazy. This is attention to detail. This is Apple.

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materialsscienceandengineering: World’s Longest Ice Bridge...

materialsscienceandengineering:

World’s Longest Ice Bridge Inspired by Da Vinci Sketch

Between December 28 and February 13, a team of students and volunteers will join forces in Finland to build the world’s longest ice bridge — 213 feet long and 16 feet wide — that’s strong enough to hold a two-ton car.

Adding an artistic twist, the team plans to design the bridge based on a 1502 sketch by Leonardo Da Vinci. The sketch is of a bridge once planned to go over the Bosporus, a natural strait and waterway in northwestern Turkey. But it was never built.

World-Record Bridges, Tunnels Defy All Logic

The international project, which is lead by Eindhoven University of Technology, is the third of its kind. In the past, students set out to build the world’s largest ice-domes, as well as the world’s highest ice-domes.

This will not only be a test of teamwork and perseverance, but also a race against time. Stopping the work at any time will cause the equipment to freeze, thanks to the incredibly low temperatures. Workers have committed to shifts so that the ice construction is continually progressing, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Read more.

This is crazy.

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Thursday, January 28, 2016

thebeakerblog: Today marks the 30th anniversary of the Space...

thebeakerblog:

Today marks the 30th anniversary of the Space Shuttle Challenger’s last mission. The craft exploded just over a minute into its tenth flight, killing all seven crew members, including Christa McAuliffe, a 37-year-old social studies teacher. To mark the occasion I thought it would be interesting to examine Challenger’s other nine flights, which played host to many key milestones in the history of NASA’s space program.

STS-6 (launched April 4, 1983): As the maiden flight of Challenger, this was the first Space Shuttle mission during which a spacewalk was conducted.

STS-7 (launched June 18, 1983): The first spaceflight of an American woman, Sally K. Ride.

STS-8 (launched Aug. 30, 1983): Notable for the participation of Guion “Guy” Bluford, the first African-American to fly in space. Also marked the first night launch and night landing of a space shuttle.

STS-41-B (launched Feb. 3, 1984): Featured the first untethered spacewalk. (Pictured above is Bruce McCandless demonstrating the Manned Maneuvering Unit.)

STS-41-C (launched April 6, 1984): Alternate mission patch featured a shuttle landing underneath a black cat, which marked the flight’s landing date of Friday the 13th. Onboard experiments discovered honeybees can make honeycomb cells in microgravity.

STS-41-G (launched Oct. 5, 1984): With a crew of seven, the mission featured the largest flight crew ever on a single spacecraft at that time. It hosted the first EVA involving a woman, Kathryn Sullivan and also carried the first Australian-born man into space (Paul D. Scully-Power) – who was the first astronaut with a beard.

STS-51-B (launched April 29, 1985): A problem with O-rings on this flight led to discussions warning of possible later O-ring failures.

STS-51-F (launched July 29, 1985): Astronauts aboard this mission participated in a heavily-publicized experiment where they drank carbonated beverages provided by Coca-Cola and Pepsi. Astronauts concluded Tang was better and easier to manage in space.

STS-61-A / D-1 (launched Oct. 30, 1985): Funded and directed by West Germany (D-1 means ‘Deutschland-1′), this mission carried eight astronauts from launch to landing, which makes it the largest crew for a single spaceflight.

(Image Credits: Wikimedia Commons / Source NASA, Wikimedia Commons)

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Apple is serious about education. http://bit.ly/1nSibrQ via Twitter

Apple is serious about education. http://bit.ly/1nSibrQ

via Twitter

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With Winter Here, Many Kids Could Use Vitamin D Supplements

With Winter Here, Many Kids Could Use Vitamin D Supplements:

Ugh. Winter is the worst.

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npr: NPR’s wide-ranging interview with President Obama covered...

npr:

NPR’s wide-ranging interview with President Obama covered his strategy fighting ISIS, the 2016 elections, his legacy and the Paris climate deal.

NPR’s Steve Inskeep then asked the president about a hypothetical interview: What would Obama want to ask the next person to have his job?

Watch the full video here: President Obama Has A Question For His Successor

Obama for president, 2016.

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I just “liked” a video on YouTube: “Tea and...

I just “liked” a video on YouTube: “Tea and Consent” http://youtu.be/pZwvrxVavnQ

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I wrote a review of a third party leather loop for Watch. Spoiler alert: it’s pretty...

I wrote a review of a third party leather loop for Watch. Spoiler alert: it’s pretty decent. http://bit.ly/20vy0mj

via Twitter

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Third Party Leather Loop Imitation Apple Watch Band Review

For starters, the Apple Watch band I'm talking about is available on Amazon at the following (US) location: link.

The first thing that you'll notice as you unpackaged this band is that is actually smells like real leather. That shouldn't be that impressive, but it's hard to find in this price range. The packaging is nothing to write home about - just a simple white box - but it's nothing to complain about either. You won't want to keep it for future use, but it protects the product well enough.

Sliding the band into the Apple Watch grooves is relatively painless. The fit is at a pretty tight tolerance compared to most other bands I've tried, but this leads to a secure fit with very little shifting in the grooves. The edges of the lugs on the band do stick out a little bit from the grooves of the watch body, but it's barely noticeable.

The leather feels nice on the skin. It breathes well enough that I never felt like my wrists were uncomfortable. The style of the band allows for a lot of customization in sizing, so I was able to achieve a really comfortable fit. I also think the length is near perfect - this band should fit you whether you have very relatively small wrists or very large wrists. To give you an idea, I wear the S/M size Apple band, and this fits only a little bit longer.

The magnets in the band are quite strong and provide a very secure fit. Interestingly enough, the magnets will also cause the band to stick to metal objects when not connected to the watch. I have not experienced this with other bands. My chief complaint with the band is the magnet in the very tip of the long side. Namely, it's not strong enough to hold all the way down. Because of where that piece sits on my wrist (right at the curve) it ends up sticking out a little bit. While this looks a little weird and bothers me, it hasn't led to an insecure fit or the watch falling off, so it's not a catastrophic problem.

Also on the list of annoyances that don't prevent me from using the band: the band does not slide easily through the opening on the short side. Or, at least, it doesn't slide as easily as other bands that I've tried. However, with the right angle, it slides just fine, and it's not actually anything to worry about, just something that I noticed.

To wrap it up, this band is worth what you pay for it, and I would recommend it if you are looking for what the Leather Loop has to offer, but don't want to spend $150 for it.