Day: July 1, 2020

Why Canada Failed the ‘Ben Franklin Challenge’ in 1776

I like Benjamin Franklin a lot.  His experiment with a kite and electricity inspired me, when I was 16 to get a kite flying during an electrical storm and  drive  a lightning into a specific spot on the ground where I previously stocked some charcoal.  The idea was to transform that form of carbon to diamonds under the great pressure and temperature attain with the lightning.  It fails, but it was a great adventure and a lot of fun.

 

“Many Canadians (and Americans) find themselves shocked when confronted with the fact that Canada’s first postal service and first newspaper were both created by… Benjamin Franklin!”

http://canadianpatriot.org/why-canada-failed-the-ben-franklin-challenge-in-1776/

How Did Vim Become So Popular

Interesting article about the birth of vim and “line” editors.  I am a vim fan.  Besides punch cards in my early programming, I used TECO which was very cryptic but I was able to adapt quickly to ed, ex, vi and finally vim.  Some people prefer emacs but it did not pass my first test of a nice program so I remained with vi and vim.

I do not like to be hijacked by any software, so my first step is to check how easy it is  to get out of the program.  I should be able to get out in less that 2-3 keystrokes or 2-3 clicks.  If so, it indicates a good design to me.

 

“What I am trying to say that vim is an effort of over half a century of good idea accumulation, putting lots of effort into being backward compatible.”

https://pragmaticpineapple.com/how-did-vim-become-so-popular/

Declining eyesight improved by looking at deep red light

I think their device is a LED flashlight with a dark red filter.  The visual spectrum is normally around 380-740nm, so their technique stand at right about the edge of out spectrum. Maybe that is why it is ‘exercising’ the eyes.

“Researchers found the 670nm light had no impact in younger individuals, but in those around 40 years and over, significant improvements were obtained.”

https://www.sott.net/article/437352-Declining-eyesight-improved-by-looking-at-deep-red-light

EFF & Heavyweight Legal Team Will Defend Internet Archive’s Digital Library Against Publishers

It will be nice to follow up on this and see how they will resolve that.  I always feel there is too much fuss and  tyranny over Intellectual Property.  I think it protects the middleman more that the creator.  Even property in itself is hard to justify in the absence of extensive agriculture.  Hunting territories are a different kind of ‘properties” than farms.

“The EFF has revealed it is teaming up with law firm Durie Tangri to defend the Internet Archive against a lawsuit targeting its Open Library. According to court filings,…”

https://torrentfreak.com/eff-heavyweight-legal-team-will-defend-internet-archives-digital-library-against-publishers-200626/