It's time for national elections in the US, and many citizens feel like they can't get good representation, no matter how they vote. Much of the problem is our "Winner Take All" system of voting — it's easy to explain but has *huge* flaws. Here is a series of 5 videos (total 28 minutes) that talks about the problems, and some much better (but slightly more complicated) alternatives.
A computer built out of dominoes?
In the video below, a team built two computers out of dominoes. The first was capable of adding any two numbers between 0 (zero) and 7 (seven). The second computer they built was capable of adding any two numbers between 0 (zero) and 15 (fifteen).
The computer you are using right now, deep under the covers, does everything in terms of binary addition. What about the other operations you ask? Read More …
Security as a public health issue
I think there’s a good case to be made for security as an exercise in public health. It sounds weird at first, but the parallels are fascinating and deep and instructive.
Circles & solids of constant width
Kind of hard to explain, but try to imagine ball bearings that aren't spheres. If you have the slightest interest in engineering or math, definitely worth the 10 minute video.
Hearst Castle, CA
After touring Paso Robles wine country, we visited Hearst Castle
-
- Towers of Casa Grande
-
- Cherubs on Casa Grande
-
- Main room in Casa Grande
-
- Detail in main room
-
- Dining hall
-
- Dining hall
-
- Dining hall ceiling
-
- Detail in dining hall
-
- Theater
-
- Theater
-
- Statue on the grounds
-
- Neptune Pool
-
- Neptune Pool
-
- Neptune Pool
-
- Neptune Pool floor
-
- Roman Pool diving platform
Paso Robles, CA
The first week in October my wife & I, with my parents, toured wineries in Paso Robles, CA. We stayed at a local B&B for a few nights.
-
- Justin Winery vineyards
-
- Justin Winery
-
- Justin Winery
-
- Justin winery
-
- Justin Winery cellars
-
- Justin Winery Cellars
-
- Ann & George's B&B, at Voladores vinyard
-
- Syrah grapes at Voladores vinyard
-
- On Voladores vinyard
-
- Eberle Winery vineyard pano
-
- Eberle Winery cellars
-
- Sculpture at Eberle Winery
Rainbow chip
Interesting storm clouds to the south, from our back deck, right before sunset. Just a chip of a rainbow beneath the clouds.
Praying mantis
Just found out we have praying mantis in Colorado. Picture is from a planter on our deck. (click for full-size)
Grand View Point at Canyonlands, 2007
A 180° panorama looking south from the Grand View Point Overlook inside Canyonlands National Park in Utah. This is from our 2007 trip to nearby Moab. To give a sense of scale, there is a single-lane dirt road that runs across the foreground, then curves up to the right.
Be sure to zoom in to see all the details (scroll wheel or buttons). Click-n-drag or use keyboard arrows to pan. Use button for full screen (center bottom).
Crater Lake panorama (my first)
My very first panorama, taken summer of 1990 at Crater Lake in Oregon. I snapped this with a disposable 35mm camera, from the main overlook at the Rim Village. I didn't get my first real 35mm SLR until a couple of years later, and my first digital wasn't until a few years after that. But I had the 35mm negatives from the disposable, and scanned them a few years ago. I've just now got around to stitching them into a panorama, and uploading it.
Be sure to zoom in to see all the details (scroll wheel or buttons). Click-n-drag or use keyboard arrows to pan. Use button for full screen (center bottom).