Hello,
I am taking a quick break from my usual ramblings and mutterings to address the topic of Net Neutrality. Tomorrow, Feb. 26th, 2015 the Senate will be voting on Net Neutrality. What is it? Well, I am by no means an expert, but I shall try to lay this out in an easy-to-follow format:
The net neutrality debate (sometimes called open internet) has been in the news a lot recently. In a nutshell, it revolves around the FCC, or Federal Trade Commission. This group sets down rules and classifications for communications, among other things. Telephone lines, for example, are classified as a public utility under the telecommunications act of 1934 (amended again in 1996). As a public utility, phone lines fall under a certain set of guidelines they have to follow. The internet has no such guidelines. Supporters of Net Neutrality want to classify the internet under Title II of the telecommunications act.
Basically, if the internet were re-classified under Title II, independent companies like Comcast, Time Warner, and others would need to follow a set of rules and guidelines for how they provide service to the public (that's you and me). This can include things like no "fast or slow" lanes, equal access to websites, and more competition which would mean lower prices.
Comcast has been in the news a lot lately. It was discovered they, along with some other companies, have been looking to gain more profit by charging companies like Netflix for access to a "fast lane" to customers. This is unfair in several ways. Any companies not willing to pay for a "fast lane" could be intentionally slowed by Comcast so that the website is almost unusable. Torrent sites in particular have faced this dilemma. Meanwhile, Netflix is having to pay millions of dollars for what it used to have for free: unrestricted access to user's homes.
Will Net Neutrality fix this? The answer is a solid maybe. On the one hand, if the internet is under Title II, then the FCC and government will have the ability to regulate this aspect of the internet. On the other hand, the 322 page document outlining all the specifics and fine print of this agreement will not be released until after this has been voted on. Will this document give the government too much control? We don't know.
What is my opinion on all this? Well I don't like the way things are now. Because of the current situation, my internet is slow on some websites and faster on others, I can only receive Comcast, because they own the rights to the cable beneath my apartment. But I also don't like that we are voting on a 322 page sealed document...
There is a lot more information about this argument, but I tried to keep it concise, accurate, and mostly non-opinionated.
Hope you enjoy,
Woof!
Wednesday, February 25, 2015
Monday, February 23, 2015
Musing And Ramblings (Repeat Title?)
Sorry about missing last week, I was working on two independent writing projects. One of my current projects involves a kickstarter campaign for a murder mystery game I have created. It promises to be a lot of fun, and contains multiple endings. The work is about finished, pending editing, and an additional 2 solutions added to the manual. I have a sequel in development which features London. I will launch this one at the conclusion of the first, and it will run for 30 days as well. I may send out advance copies of it to my current buyers, I am not sure yet. My other project has been research and initial ideas for a math curriculum book. The book is being written by Otter, and she has asked me for help. :)
In between these projects, my master has been fairly busy at work (both of them actually), and they've been doing plenty of playing on the weekends. It's given me time to catch up on my reading however! I can tell you that the shipping lanes on the west coast are at a standstill (pending Union strikes and negotiations), that Apple has done incredibly well in the wake of the Iphone 6, that 2 new phones are coming out with curved or bent screens, and that Lenovo software has been hacked. But where's the fun in that? Lets get down to the real news:
The bunnies have kept out of the kitchen, which is sad because we are low on homeade cookies and crumpets around here. I will have to bake something myself here pretty soon! The humans took the camera out for a test run a while ago and managed to use the manual settings to take some great pictures! It was nice to get out and stretch the ol' paws. The sun's been out early this year, we keep expecting clouds and rain. It's been very nice (although I wouldn't mind some rain, as reading a book is cozier when the weather's crummy). A kayak trip, and / or a beach trip should be on the calendar soon I hope! I'm looking forward to both.
Enjoy your Monday!
Woof!
In between these projects, my master has been fairly busy at work (both of them actually), and they've been doing plenty of playing on the weekends. It's given me time to catch up on my reading however! I can tell you that the shipping lanes on the west coast are at a standstill (pending Union strikes and negotiations), that Apple has done incredibly well in the wake of the Iphone 6, that 2 new phones are coming out with curved or bent screens, and that Lenovo software has been hacked. But where's the fun in that? Lets get down to the real news:
The bunnies have kept out of the kitchen, which is sad because we are low on homeade cookies and crumpets around here. I will have to bake something myself here pretty soon! The humans took the camera out for a test run a while ago and managed to use the manual settings to take some great pictures! It was nice to get out and stretch the ol' paws. The sun's been out early this year, we keep expecting clouds and rain. It's been very nice (although I wouldn't mind some rain, as reading a book is cozier when the weather's crummy). A kayak trip, and / or a beach trip should be on the calendar soon I hope! I'm looking forward to both.
Enjoy your Monday!
Woof!
Wednesday, February 11, 2015
Fly to Mars? Umm, I'll stay here, thanks
Woof! Woof? Wait, I don't want to go to Mars!
As this is both current events, and a bit sciencey, it seems appropriate to mention this at least once:
There is a group of people intent on a mission to colonize Mars. They hope to land in the year 2025, and guess what? It's a one way trip...
That's right. Mars One is a non-profit venture based out of the Netherlands with the goal of colonizing Mars by the year 2025. Their long term plan? To establish a permanent settlement on Mars. It sounds a bit crazy, but they've been working on this since 2012. Below I listed a sample of their incremental goals to colonizing Mars:
*Courtesy of Wikipedia.
It actually sounds plausible. The cost factor has been mentioned numerous times, and apart from multiple sponsors, Mars One plans to host a reality TV show of the entire event, which is expected to produce the bulk of the income required for the mission. Their timeline has been pushed back a few times already, but they still hope to have the first group of colonists to Mars by 2025.
Who would be willing to take a 1 way trip to Mars, and why is it only 1 way? This question has been in the news a lot recently, and it boils down to these 2 answers: People purely devoted to science, and cost. The philosophy is similar to the astronauts who signed up to go to the moon. They had no guarantee of safe return either. Neither do some of our soldiers. It is 1 way because of cost mainly. We may send a probe one day to bring them back, but the initial cost of a round trip is over 10 times the cost of a 1 way trip.
Over 1000 people have signed up as applicants, and the process has narrowed down to about 700 or so now. Eventually, 6 teams of 4 will be chosen, then trained over the next few years.
Personally? I vote a moon or underwater colony. They are both much closer. Mars in comparison, would take between 1-5 months to travel to, depending on speed, trajectory, etc. That's a long time cooped up with 3 other people!
-Sheepdog-
As this is both current events, and a bit sciencey, it seems appropriate to mention this at least once:
There is a group of people intent on a mission to colonize Mars. They hope to land in the year 2025, and guess what? It's a one way trip...
That's right. Mars One is a non-profit venture based out of the Netherlands with the goal of colonizing Mars by the year 2025. Their long term plan? To establish a permanent settlement on Mars. It sounds a bit crazy, but they've been working on this since 2012. Below I listed a sample of their incremental goals to colonizing Mars:
- 2013: The first 40 astronauts were to have been selected;[6] a replica of the settlement was planned to be built for training purposes.[7]
- 2014: The first communication satellite was to have been produced.
- 2016: A supply mission would launch with 2500 kilograms of food in a modified SpaceX Dragon.
- 2018: An exploration vehicle would launch to pick the location of the settlement.[7]
- 2021: Six additional Dragon capsules and another rover would launch with two living units, two life-support units and two supply units.
- 2022: A SpaceX Falcon Heavy would launch with the first group of four colonists.[7]
- 2023: The first colonists were to arrive on Mars in a modified Dragon capsule.
- 2025: A second group of four colonists slated to arrive.[7]
- 2033: The colony projected to reach 20 settlers. s.[8]
*Courtesy of Wikipedia.
It actually sounds plausible. The cost factor has been mentioned numerous times, and apart from multiple sponsors, Mars One plans to host a reality TV show of the entire event, which is expected to produce the bulk of the income required for the mission. Their timeline has been pushed back a few times already, but they still hope to have the first group of colonists to Mars by 2025.
Who would be willing to take a 1 way trip to Mars, and why is it only 1 way? This question has been in the news a lot recently, and it boils down to these 2 answers: People purely devoted to science, and cost. The philosophy is similar to the astronauts who signed up to go to the moon. They had no guarantee of safe return either. Neither do some of our soldiers. It is 1 way because of cost mainly. We may send a probe one day to bring them back, but the initial cost of a round trip is over 10 times the cost of a 1 way trip.
Over 1000 people have signed up as applicants, and the process has narrowed down to about 700 or so now. Eventually, 6 teams of 4 will be chosen, then trained over the next few years.
Personally? I vote a moon or underwater colony. They are both much closer. Mars in comparison, would take between 1-5 months to travel to, depending on speed, trajectory, etc. That's a long time cooped up with 3 other people!
-Sheepdog-
Sheepdog and Friends
Good Morning, and happy Tuesday (erm wednesday, sorry folks)
As of late, my mornings have been spurred on by intelligent cantering and bantering. This is often fascinating enough to keep me amused all morning long, while I have my tea and crumpets. Here are a few snippits:
Koda: Some days I feel like a clefairy at singing lessons *clefairy clefairy, fairy - bopit boppit*
Me: Aw, poor koda! And here I've been feeling like a victim of jigglypuff *zzzz* *PUFF!*
Koda: Lol. I was in bed by 9:15...and asleep by 12:00 (it was sad...sob)
Me: Hmm, there's a distinct difference in the number of remaining hours.
Koda: How is it not 8:00 yet?
Koda: Great regrets of life: an excerpt of old journal diaries from the sheepdog chapter 1: The night I gave every rabbit and their bunny beloveds a helium air baloon, between the squeaking voices, the rabbit foots on the ceiling, and questionable methods of obtaining cookies on the top shelf. Also too, when I allowed the rabbits to bring their bunny honeys in the first place (munches a comfort cookies in silence.
Koda: *Drops brick on head* Good Morning!
Me: Ouch! Why would you do that?
Koda: It's Monday of course.
Me: Oh...of course
Koda: Makes cheddar cheese biscuits at 5:30am *puts too much butter on them* while driving to work: oops they're soggy! That won't do. Hmm, maybe I'll eat this one its too soggy. Oops that one is a mess *munch* that one is terrible, no one would *gulp* eat that. 20 later at work: Koda! U made... 4 biscuits??
Koda: um yeah, I guess the recipe sucks huh? *ug I'm full and feel awful* Can I go home? I think I'm getting the flu...
Koda: After a long conversation about the dissimilar aspects of the two terms villain and the village idiot, it was decided that neither really fit daphnes personality.
Koda: (a while later) I hate soup for lunch. All morning your excited for a break - excited for lunch. Then it's lunch time! You walk into the break room open the fridge and pull out your soup. Then you heat it in the microwave, then... its 2 cups of liquid. You drink it, it takes 2 minutes And you say that was really good! Is there more? Of course not! No, you brought 2 cups of liquid, that's it! You thought to yourself 2 cups is plenty! Its filling soup! It's almost real food! No, no its not Koda, but its lots of calories, you reconcile to yourself. Nope, 350 - a little over half of what you should be eating. It will take you through 40 minutes, and then your starving hungry, and attack the work candy drawer. Now your sugar crashed, hungry, irritable, and 20 min. from the closest real food store with 4 hours of work left.
Me: Aw, that's too bad! *munches on giant sandwich and gulps down gatorade* I really *scarft* feel for you!
Koda: hey, that's not fair!
Koda: I'll live, W. is going to let me go shopping for food! (You have to feel sorry for her) #I'm bringing the rabbits
Me: Uh oh. I can imagine what their list will be like: Chicken strips, JoJo's, orange juice, cliff bar, rolls, mozerella cheese, ice cream, a donut, a few bagels, some movie snacks, popcorn, bulk chocolate, valentines candy, club crackers, salami, cream cheese, hummus, pita chips, gummy bears, plain sugar, brown sugar, raw sugar....
Koda: Oh wait, she gave me a list... *consults* 1 Lemon, 1 Lime, 1 Onion, Cilantro...what the cockadoodle?
Rabbits: *but...none of that tastes good on ice cream!*
While ordering starbucks drinks:
S: Carmel Half Caff. Machiatto
J: Tall double shot coconut milk peppermint hazelnut machiatto - whipped cream and sprinkles.
Koda: ....1 hot chocolate please
*everyone looks at Koda* What?
Koda: What? you want to renew your license..okay are you located in New York? Ah, I got that from your phone number. Yes.. I have the united states memorized... Yes, Canada too... No, no I have a life! really!
Koda: The sadness when you realize home is still 3 hours away and your hungry...
Koda: I guess there is food in the break room, dry bread, no butter, stale chocolate, old coffee, some crumbs... I'm not that desperate!
Koda: I can't talk to anyone named chantelle without hearing the pokemon red music in my head, dee da do dee da do (and then a marowak jumped out ahh! Oh hi boss...)
Koda: If I were a cartoon character: wake up destroy alarm clock eat 8 bowls of ceral - get hiccups slog thru traffic arrive sleepy splash coffe on face arrive at desk repeatedly bang head on keyboard trying to wake up break keyboard, keyboard magically fixed answer a phone call say "5 more minutes" get hit by ruler from boss answer multiple phones at once take nap under desk go to meeting listen to maxs dad about taking over the world, go home, party.
Koda: My actual day: hit alarm clock, alarm clock falls over batteries fall out, stumble to shower, which is cold, eat granola bar find shoes spend 5 minutes warming up car, drive to work which is normal, look longingly at the coffee before getting cold water, struggle to stay awake eat lunch at 9:00 no meeting sleep through lunch, go home tired and hungry
Me: well that's obvious, I would take the cartoon day any day!
Me: Let me adjust the story a bit: lunch nap in car: cold car, turn on to warm up, turn back off to save gas, Darn! Cold again! maybe I'll just drive to Safeway and buy lunch. Great. Now I'm tired again. Okay, another nap...2.5 min later, now I have to clock back in? Conclusion? They should award me two lunches!...? they won't? Okay, this working thing is for the birds!
And yes, these are real conversations!
Enjoy!
As of late, my mornings have been spurred on by intelligent cantering and bantering. This is often fascinating enough to keep me amused all morning long, while I have my tea and crumpets. Here are a few snippits:
Koda: Some days I feel like a clefairy at singing lessons *clefairy clefairy, fairy - bopit boppit*
Me: Aw, poor koda! And here I've been feeling like a victim of jigglypuff *zzzz* *PUFF!*
Koda: Lol. I was in bed by 9:15...and asleep by 12:00 (it was sad...sob)
Me: Hmm, there's a distinct difference in the number of remaining hours.
Koda: How is it not 8:00 yet?
Koda: Great regrets of life: an excerpt of old journal diaries from the sheepdog chapter 1: The night I gave every rabbit and their bunny beloveds a helium air baloon, between the squeaking voices, the rabbit foots on the ceiling, and questionable methods of obtaining cookies on the top shelf. Also too, when I allowed the rabbits to bring their bunny honeys in the first place (munches a comfort cookies in silence.
Koda: *Drops brick on head* Good Morning!
Me: Ouch! Why would you do that?
Koda: It's Monday of course.
Me: Oh...of course
Koda: Makes cheddar cheese biscuits at 5:30am *puts too much butter on them* while driving to work: oops they're soggy! That won't do. Hmm, maybe I'll eat this one its too soggy. Oops that one is a mess *munch* that one is terrible, no one would *gulp* eat that. 20 later at work: Koda! U made... 4 biscuits??
Koda: um yeah, I guess the recipe sucks huh? *ug I'm full and feel awful* Can I go home? I think I'm getting the flu...
Koda: After a long conversation about the dissimilar aspects of the two terms villain and the village idiot, it was decided that neither really fit daphnes personality.
Koda: (a while later) I hate soup for lunch. All morning your excited for a break - excited for lunch. Then it's lunch time! You walk into the break room open the fridge and pull out your soup. Then you heat it in the microwave, then... its 2 cups of liquid. You drink it, it takes 2 minutes And you say that was really good! Is there more? Of course not! No, you brought 2 cups of liquid, that's it! You thought to yourself 2 cups is plenty! Its filling soup! It's almost real food! No, no its not Koda, but its lots of calories, you reconcile to yourself. Nope, 350 - a little over half of what you should be eating. It will take you through 40 minutes, and then your starving hungry, and attack the work candy drawer. Now your sugar crashed, hungry, irritable, and 20 min. from the closest real food store with 4 hours of work left.
Me: Aw, that's too bad! *munches on giant sandwich and gulps down gatorade* I really *scarft* feel for you!
Koda: hey, that's not fair!
Koda: I'll live, W. is going to let me go shopping for food! (You have to feel sorry for her) #I'm bringing the rabbits
Me: Uh oh. I can imagine what their list will be like: Chicken strips, JoJo's, orange juice, cliff bar, rolls, mozerella cheese, ice cream, a donut, a few bagels, some movie snacks, popcorn, bulk chocolate, valentines candy, club crackers, salami, cream cheese, hummus, pita chips, gummy bears, plain sugar, brown sugar, raw sugar....
Koda: Oh wait, she gave me a list... *consults* 1 Lemon, 1 Lime, 1 Onion, Cilantro...what the cockadoodle?
Rabbits: *but...none of that tastes good on ice cream!*
While ordering starbucks drinks:
S: Carmel Half Caff. Machiatto
J: Tall double shot coconut milk peppermint hazelnut machiatto - whipped cream and sprinkles.
Koda: ....1 hot chocolate please
*everyone looks at Koda* What?
Koda: What? you want to renew your license..okay are you located in New York? Ah, I got that from your phone number. Yes.. I have the united states memorized... Yes, Canada too... No, no I have a life! really!
Koda: The sadness when you realize home is still 3 hours away and your hungry...
Koda: I guess there is food in the break room, dry bread, no butter, stale chocolate, old coffee, some crumbs... I'm not that desperate!
Koda: I can't talk to anyone named chantelle without hearing the pokemon red music in my head, dee da do dee da do (and then a marowak jumped out ahh! Oh hi boss...)
Koda: If I were a cartoon character: wake up destroy alarm clock eat 8 bowls of ceral - get hiccups slog thru traffic arrive sleepy splash coffe on face arrive at desk repeatedly bang head on keyboard trying to wake up break keyboard, keyboard magically fixed answer a phone call say "5 more minutes" get hit by ruler from boss answer multiple phones at once take nap under desk go to meeting listen to maxs dad about taking over the world, go home, party.
Koda: My actual day: hit alarm clock, alarm clock falls over batteries fall out, stumble to shower, which is cold, eat granola bar find shoes spend 5 minutes warming up car, drive to work which is normal, look longingly at the coffee before getting cold water, struggle to stay awake eat lunch at 9:00 no meeting sleep through lunch, go home tired and hungry
Me: well that's obvious, I would take the cartoon day any day!
Me: Let me adjust the story a bit: lunch nap in car: cold car, turn on to warm up, turn back off to save gas, Darn! Cold again! maybe I'll just drive to Safeway and buy lunch. Great. Now I'm tired again. Okay, another nap...2.5 min later, now I have to clock back in? Conclusion? They should award me two lunches!...? they won't? Okay, this working thing is for the birds!
And yes, these are real conversations!
Enjoy!
Wednesday, February 4, 2015
Space Elevators
Happy Feb!
Now where did January go? *Looks around for January but doesn't find it*. Hmm, strange, must have disappeared. Ah well, it was fun! A bit cold, but much warmer than last year to be sure. I'm hoping for a short walk this evening, along with a few games and fun afterwards.
For this week's random topic, I have picked space elevators, an idea that has been around for decades. Recently, a small event was hosted at NASA (I believe it was NASA) purely to discuss the possibilities and risks of building a space elevator. Now If I can take a rabbit trail here (thanks bunnies) a theologian may point out that an elevator to space may begin to sound a lot like a modern version of the tower of babel. However, it may also be pointed out that the tower of babel was also meant to unite the people, where a space elevator would probably cause more issues than resolve them. But I digress.
A space elevator, in its simplest form, is a long cable attached to the earth at the equator, and extending into space. It is held up by attaching a large chunk of rock, or a space station to the other end of it. This "counterweight" would use the earth's momentum to keep the cable tight. This cable could then be used like a giant elevator, to carry things and people into space and back. To imagine this, pretend you are the earth, and are swinging a rope with a weight attached to the end around and around. The rope is held tight, because you are spinning in a circle. The same holds true for earth.
Next, how would we use this? Well, once the cable is in place, we would use transport vessels similar to ski lifts, only designed to go vertically to transport cargo back and forth to space. This can include new satellites, supplies for the space station, or even one day to the moon!
However, there are some structural issues which we still need to solve. First of all, how do we propel things up this cable? Well I suppose if we had a giant chain, we could use powerful motors on earth to lift things like in an elevator. But the cables could easily be twisted or smash together. This idea probably wouldn't work. The most discussed idea is a pair of lasers providing wireless power to the cargo. You've heard of wireless charging right? imagine a really powerful version of it, one unit on earth providing power to electric engines, and the same version in the space station to propel it the rest of the way. The idea sounds plausible, but we haven't tried building one yet. Next issue: space debris, hurricanes, and natural disasters. We would need some precautions once we build this to make sure it doesn't come falling down or break. Proposals range from small thrusters on the space station to move the cable, to extra durable cable that would last a long time. Which brings us to the final and biggest issue: we do not have anything strong enough to make the cable with! Yes, this is a fundamental problem to the whole space elevator idea. Steel is nowhere near strong enough, neither is any widely available metal we know of. Scientists have been working with nanotubes, (read super strong spider silk) which may hold the answer, but we haven't even built successful prototypes. Its just barely past the theoretical stage.
If you ask me, it's more realistic to start crating underwater colonies than to colonize space. At least that way you don't have to go looking for water. :P Just something to think about:
Shaggy the Sheepdog
Now where did January go? *Looks around for January but doesn't find it*. Hmm, strange, must have disappeared. Ah well, it was fun! A bit cold, but much warmer than last year to be sure. I'm hoping for a short walk this evening, along with a few games and fun afterwards.
For this week's random topic, I have picked space elevators, an idea that has been around for decades. Recently, a small event was hosted at NASA (I believe it was NASA) purely to discuss the possibilities and risks of building a space elevator. Now If I can take a rabbit trail here (thanks bunnies) a theologian may point out that an elevator to space may begin to sound a lot like a modern version of the tower of babel. However, it may also be pointed out that the tower of babel was also meant to unite the people, where a space elevator would probably cause more issues than resolve them. But I digress.
A space elevator, in its simplest form, is a long cable attached to the earth at the equator, and extending into space. It is held up by attaching a large chunk of rock, or a space station to the other end of it. This "counterweight" would use the earth's momentum to keep the cable tight. This cable could then be used like a giant elevator, to carry things and people into space and back. To imagine this, pretend you are the earth, and are swinging a rope with a weight attached to the end around and around. The rope is held tight, because you are spinning in a circle. The same holds true for earth.
Next, how would we use this? Well, once the cable is in place, we would use transport vessels similar to ski lifts, only designed to go vertically to transport cargo back and forth to space. This can include new satellites, supplies for the space station, or even one day to the moon!
However, there are some structural issues which we still need to solve. First of all, how do we propel things up this cable? Well I suppose if we had a giant chain, we could use powerful motors on earth to lift things like in an elevator. But the cables could easily be twisted or smash together. This idea probably wouldn't work. The most discussed idea is a pair of lasers providing wireless power to the cargo. You've heard of wireless charging right? imagine a really powerful version of it, one unit on earth providing power to electric engines, and the same version in the space station to propel it the rest of the way. The idea sounds plausible, but we haven't tried building one yet. Next issue: space debris, hurricanes, and natural disasters. We would need some precautions once we build this to make sure it doesn't come falling down or break. Proposals range from small thrusters on the space station to move the cable, to extra durable cable that would last a long time. Which brings us to the final and biggest issue: we do not have anything strong enough to make the cable with! Yes, this is a fundamental problem to the whole space elevator idea. Steel is nowhere near strong enough, neither is any widely available metal we know of. Scientists have been working with nanotubes, (read super strong spider silk) which may hold the answer, but we haven't even built successful prototypes. Its just barely past the theoretical stage.
If you ask me, it's more realistic to start crating underwater colonies than to colonize space. At least that way you don't have to go looking for water. :P Just something to think about:
Shaggy the Sheepdog
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