Author Archives: adrian

some youtube stuff

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Conway Twitty and the Residents
Fred Frith and Eitetsu Hayashi. Pretty bad ass.
Link Wray – Rumble 1978
evelyn glennie and fred frith
Chris Cutler. Cutler was one of the cooler improv shows I’ve seen.
John Zorn – Bladerunner Project (w/ Lombardo Laswell Frith). Zorn deserves his Macarthur grant if for no other reason than thinking “Lets play weird improv music. And lets get the drummer from Slayer…”

planes on a treadmill

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I’m tired of these motherf***ing planes on this motherf***ing treadmill.

The plane and treadmill problem is mentioned here, and here and here.

Basically, a jet plane is setting on a treadmill/conveyor belt. The treadmill is setup so it will match the exact speed of the plane in the opposite direction.

Will it take off?

My answer is yes. It would take off more or less normally. With the exception that the wheels will be spinning twice as fast as normal.

Why? F=MA.

The jet engines excert a huge force in one direction. The treadmill however, is only able to exert a very small force in the opposing direction.

Not convinced? Think of it this way. The plane is standing still on the treadmill with the engines off. You have a cable attached to the front of the plane. The treadmill starts up. How much force does it take to keep the plane from moving? Not that much. The wheels can only provide so much force, mostly just the rolling friction from the wheels.

Now try the opposite. The treadmill is off. You are holding the cable behind the plane. The jet engines start up and roll up to full throttle. How much force does it take to keep the plane in place. A frigging lot.

Unbalanced forces means a net force. Which means acceleration. Which means the plane moves. And takes off.

is it hot or not

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I want soda cans that change color when they are cold.

Just so I can spot the one cold drink out of the dozen empty cans littering my desk.

Or perhaps someway to mark a can as belonging to a random person. Maybe clone the
way fountain drink lids have small bubbles to push down to identify different types
of drinks. 5 indention’s would be enough to cover 32 people.

on the road again

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Got the KTM Duke roadworthy again today. Replaced the turn signals. The rear ones took a bit longer than I expected, mostly because I disassembled a lot more than I really needed to. Replaced the broken front brake lever, and replaced the clutch lever and perch. Took it for a brief, but brisk, ride. It’s getting kind of chilly out there.

santa laughing speads his wings

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I’m not much of a fan of christmas. Not that I don’t mind giving people presents, or even getting presents. I just hate having to go out and shop. What a giant pain.

And I procrastinate. To the very last minute.

And no one in my family has any idea what to get me for christmas. And I really have no idea what to tell them. Sure, I list off a whole string of expensive items. But as far as cheap things I will actually like for myself. Well, I usually buy those things.

And on the same note, I have no idea what to buy any else. My fallback is to buy people tools. Tools are fun. And if that fails, books.

Aka, the same old boring christmas gripes. I just wanted an excuse to the use the title of the post, stolen from somewhere I don’t remember.

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Got the KTM back from the dealer with some help from z_kungfu.

It’s not fixed, since the insurance considered it totaled. But it looks like
it’s only going to be a few hundred bucks to get it rideable again. And the
cosmetic issues that were the bulk of the cost are fairly minor.

Seems to be a couple of parties going on tonight. Not sure I’m in
a party mood (what? me be anti-social?). Might go over to chapel
hill to see Rasputina. Or maybe a nap.