[Nicodimas]

https://www.newstate...ey-have-a-point

Always fun to read a article and make ya smile.

[Mezla PigDog]

Two things.

My kid used the phrase "For fucks sake" in perfect context and tone of voice today. He learned the phrase a couple of years ago so now we're at the stage where we discuss the word and acknowledge it's not acceptable for school or company (please god, not at school). He breaks it out now and then when he wants to shock me and I can't not laugh.

I got vermouth brined olives for my birthday. They make the best dirty martinis.

[Tsundoku]

Any martini you made would be by definition dirty.

Happy birthday for whenever it was.

[Maark Abbott]

I don't recall if I mentioned but a friend needed shot of an old monitor/keyboard combo and gave them to me. This made my work life considerably easier; as we're also packed down in large part so we can store things ahead of selling this house and upsizing, I decided to go full ham on improving my work/personal computing setup and moved from the kitchen into what is now an office (after two years of working on that cold stone floor).

So now we're running:

2 x 24" monitors

either the work laptop or my Lenovo
a soundbar
a dedicated webcam
a cardioid microphone (ordered, due by the weekend)


And in terms of furnishing, a nice little desk, a galaxy print max to keep everything like keyboard anchored down, new wrist support / mouse mat, a laptop cooler I bought ten years ago and never used, a set of B&M shelves that I've superglued into a mount, and a phone/ipad holder (so I can have stuff streaming in the background if I fancy it). Only thing missing is one of those monitor mounts that clamps to the desk and has the two arms, but that'll wait until next payday.

The fun bit was getting monitor #2 to work with the Lenovo as it doesn't have video output via C, but there was an A to HDMI that made that work well enough. I have also been toying with OBS. Whether this becomes my midlife crisis remains to be seen.

[Azath Vitr (D'ivers]

'[...] the new materials used to construct the inner walls of the [JET] fusion reactor worked as intended.

The fact that the new wall construction performed as well as it did is what separates these results from previous milestones and elevates magnetic fusion from a dream toward a reality.'

The Dream of Nuclear Fusion Is Now Closer to Reality. Here's Why (sciencealert.com)


'Both methods have led to major breakthroughs in fusion research in recent years. [...] "[...] it really shows a lot of promise for both of these different methods—the inertial confinement and the magnetic confinement—and hopefully this motivates more interest from government funding and private industry[...] This is viable, and this is also the time to invest in these technologies."

[...] one of the things that's been holding fusion research back over the decades is a lack of investment. She said we're now seeing a lot more private investment in this research, which she believes could help get us to a fusion reactor sooner than we otherwise may have. Investors are pouring billions into trying to become the first to make fusion work.'

Nuclear Fusion Might Finally Be Ready for Its Breakthrough Moment (thedailybeast.com)


'U.K. Startup's "Big Friendly Gun" Achieves Fusion Breakthrough

[...] backed by China's Tencent Holdings Ltd. proved a novel approach to generating fusion energy in a breakthrough that could slash the technology's cost by providing cheap, clean nuclear fuel.

First Light Fusion Ltd. is among about two dozen startups trying to harness [fusion ...] Some focused on building machines that hold fused atoms together, while the Oxford-based company concentrated on the fuel elements that catalyze the reaction.'

Tencent-Backed UK Startup First Light Achieves Nuclear Fusion Breakthrough - Bloomberg

[amphibian]

Maark Abbott, on 29 March 2022 - 07:52 AM, said:

I don't recall if I mentioned but a friend needed shot of an old monitor/keyboard combo and gave them to me. This made my work life considerably easier; as we're also packed down in large part so we can store things ahead of selling this house and upsizing, I decided to go full ham on improving my work/personal computing setup and moved from the kitchen into what is now an office (after two years of working on that cold stone floor).

So now we're running:

2 x 24" monitors

either the work laptop or my Lenovo
a soundbar
a dedicated webcam
a cardioid microphone (ordered, due by the weekend)


And in terms of furnishing, a nice little desk, a galaxy print max to keep everything like keyboard anchored down, new wrist support / mouse mat, a laptop cooler I bought ten years ago and never used, a set of B&M shelves that I've superglued into a mount, and a phone/ipad holder (so I can have stuff streaming in the background if I fancy it). Only thing missing is one of those monitor mounts that clamps to the desk and has the two arms, but that'll wait until next payday.

The fun bit was getting monitor #2 to work with the Lenovo as it doesn't have video output via C, but there was an A to HDMI that made that work well enough. I have also been toying with OBS. Whether this becomes my midlife crisis remains to be seen.

I've been using a vertical mouse for the last 4 months. It's greatly helped with wrist pain from repetitive mousing.

I paid $25 for the Anker wireless vertical mouse. I suspect that the $100 other brand versions are better.

If budget is possible, consider getting a good chair and not a gaming chair for the work. Everything that goes between you and the ground for long stretches (shoes, bed, work chairs) is worth getting a good version of, if possible. I got my partner a very expensive Steelcase Gesture and her back pain disappeared for years now.

[Maark Abbott]

amphibian, on 06 April 2022 - 10:01 PM, said:

Maark Abbott, on 29 March 2022 - 07:52 AM, said:

I don't recall if I mentioned but a friend needed shot of an old monitor/keyboard combo and gave them to me. This made my work life considerably easier; as we're also packed down in large part so we can store things ahead of selling this house and upsizing, I decided to go full ham on improving my work/personal computing setup and moved from the kitchen into what is now an office (after two years of working on that cold stone floor).

So now we're running:

2 x 24" monitors

either the work laptop or my Lenovo
a soundbar
a dedicated webcam
a cardioid microphone (ordered, due by the weekend)


And in terms of furnishing, a nice little desk, a galaxy print max to keep everything like keyboard anchored down, new wrist support / mouse mat, a laptop cooler I bought ten years ago and never used, a set of B&M shelves that I've superglued into a mount, and a phone/ipad holder (so I can have stuff streaming in the background if I fancy it). Only thing missing is one of those monitor mounts that clamps to the desk and has the two arms, but that'll wait until next payday.

The fun bit was getting monitor #2 to work with the Lenovo as it doesn't have video output via C, but there was an A to HDMI that made that work well enough. I have also been toying with OBS. Whether this becomes my midlife crisis remains to be seen.

I've been using a vertical mouse for the last 4 months. It's greatly helped with wrist pain from repetitive mousing.

I paid $25 for the Anker wireless vertical mouse. I suspect that the $100 other brand versions are better.

If budget is possible, consider getting a good chair and not a gaming chair for the work. Everything that goes between you and the ground for long stretches (shoes, bed, work chairs) is worth getting a good version of, if possible. I got my partner a very expensive Steelcase Gesture and her back pain disappeared for years now.

I'd certainly consider a pimped out office chair over a gaming one. Though whether I'll ever be able to afford anything again that isn't an essential purchase remains to be seen now (thanks, Tories).

[Malankazooie]

NYC subway shooter has been caught. Damn, his history is fucked up. This guy is a walking monster.

[QuickTidal]

The hole in my moms stomach has closed. The doctor said she would not have believed it if she hadn't seen it. It healed over, the infection is under control and her labs across the board look fantastic the doctor said.

They think it MIGHT just have been from wear and tear from the Chemo treatments, but it's not any of the big things they worried it was, and she's going to be with us a while longer. They are looking to release her next week.

I can't properly explain the joy I feel at being given more time with my mom. I'm not going to waste this extra time the universe gave us.

[Aptorian]

Amazing news, QT.

[Slow Ben]

Yereaasshhhhhhhhh

That’s awesome news.

This post has been edited by Slow Ben: 14 April 2022 - 03:37 PM

[Tiste Simeon]

QuickTidal, on 14 April 2022 - 12:06 PM, said:

The hole in my moms stomach has closed. The doctor said she would not have believed it if she hadn't seen it. It healed over, the infection is under control and her labs across the board look fantastic the doctor said.

They think it MIGHT just have been from wear and tear from the Chemo treatments, but it's not any of the big things they worried it was, and she's going to be with us a while longer. They are looking to release her next week.

I can't properly explain the joy I feel at being given more time with my mom. I'm not going to waste this extra time the universe gave us.

Woah that's ace! Really made up for you!

[Cyphon]

Great news!

[amphibian]

QuickTidal, on 14 April 2022 - 12:06 PM, said:

The hole in my moms stomach has closed. The doctor said she would not have believed it if she hadn't seen it. It healed over, the infection is under control and her labs across the board look fantastic the doctor said.

They think it MIGHT just have been from wear and tear from the Chemo treatments, but it's not any of the big things they worried it was, and she's going to be with us a while longer. They are looking to release her next week.

I can't properly explain the joy I feel at being given more time with my mom. I'm not going to waste this extra time the universe gave us.

More time! I'm so happy for her and you.

[QuickTidal]

Thanks all. I’m really not taking this blessing for granted!

[TheRetiredBridgeburner]

Brilliant news, QT!

[Azath Vitr (D'ivers]

From 13 April 2022 - 06:54 PM:

NYC subway shooter has been caught. Damn, his history is fucked up. This guy is a walking monster.

'stopped at multiple NYC eateries—including the famous deli Katz's—before turning himself in to the New York Police Department. [...] stopped at the Chinatown staple Dimes [...] The food trip ended at an East Village McDonald's'

Accused Subway Shooter Made Pit Stop at Iconic NYC Deli Just Before Arrest (thedailybeast.com)

Menschliches, Allzumenschliches... oder Kapitalistisches, Allzukapitalistisches?

https://en.wikipedia...,_All_Too_Human

'Dichter sein in dürftiger Zeit heißt: singend auf die Spur der entflohenen Götter achten. Darum sagt der Dichter zur Zeit der Weltnacht das Heilige.'

https://www.goodread...e-time-means-to

This post has been edited by Azath Vitr (D'ivers: 15 April 2022 - 07:21 PM

[Azath Vitr (D'ivers]

'Chiral gold nanoparticles increase vaccine efficacy by more than 25%

Vaccines can be made over 25% more effective by adding left-handed chiral gold nanoparticles as adjuvants, [...] An article reporting the results is published in Nature.

The study did not involve COVID-19 vaccines because it began well before the pandemic. The researchers used vaccines developed to combat a specific influenza virus strain. [...]

[...] in principle the results can be generalized for any type of vaccine, [...]

The reason is that left-handed chiral gold nanoparticles are not the active ingredient, but an adjuvant that potentiates the recipient's immune response.

"The key to understanding the contribution of these nanoparticles is the concept of chirality, which applies to an object or system that can't be superimposed on its own mirror image," [...]

Chirality[...] is a type of asymmetry. The term is derived from kheir, the Ancient Greek for hand, and the best example is precisely the difference between left hand and right hand. When we hold up our hands to a mirror, the hand we see on the right is our left hand and vice-versa.

"Everything alive on Earth is chiral. Chiral molecules can have entirely different properties depending on whether they're left- or right-handed. [...]"

[...] "We began with gold nanoparticles, which are symmetrical and lack chirality. They're achiral. We [...] induced chirality in them [...] then intensified the induced chirality [...] using the amino acid phenylalanine as a light-harvesting antenna,"[...]

"Initially we tested the nanoparticles on human immune cells cultured in vitro and found that the chiral nanoparticles induced production of substances associated with an immune response even in the absence of an antigen—any substance capable of triggering antibody production. [...]"

[...] "[...] greatly enhanced the efficacy of the vaccine," [...]

The knowledge is published and available to anyone who wishes to use it[...] "It can be used by any producer of any type of vaccine, including vaccines for novel variants of SARS-CoV-2 or influenza. We aren't vaccine developers, but we're offering this basic knowledge as a novel technological platform for those who are,"'

Chiral gold nanoparticles increase vaccine efficacy by more than 25%, study suggests (phys.org)

Might boost my gold mines in the long term too... just sold a few shares for the short term though.

[Mezla PigDog]

Took my son to London Zoo today. I haven't been for many years. I'm not 100% sold on zoos, especially city zoos where space is tight. However I do love a good reptile and insect house which city zoos do really well. Two things stood out - we saw a baby sloth and I accidentally wandered into a spider house where hand sized spiders are just hanging out. I walked into the exhibit named "In With The Spiders" saying "Are they in tanks or literally out and about?" Once I'd figured out they were literally out and about and the adrenaline rose and I bolted back to the door trying not to look like an idiot who is scared of spiders who wandered into a spider house, I realised the automatic door was one way and closed! Before I shamed myself weeping and hammering on the door, someone came too close and triggered it! I thought everything came with trigger warnings these days. The name may have been a giveaway but why didn't they clearly say on the outside they meant it literally?!?! I can cope with a big spider in a tank but not hanging about above my head 😱.

This post has been edited by Mezla PigDog: 18 April 2022 - 08:36 PM

[Azath Vitr (D'ivers]

Mezla PigDog, on 18 April 2022 - 08:35 PM, said:

Took my son to London Zoo today. I haven't been for many years. I'm not 100% sold on zoos, especially city zoos where space is tight. However I do love a good reptile and insect house which city zoos do really well. Two things stood out - we saw a baby sloth and I accidentally wandered into a spider house where hand sized spiders are just hanging out. I walked into the exhibit named "In With The Spiders" saying "Are they in tanks or literally out and about?" Once I'd figured out they were literally out and about and the adrenaline rose and I bolted back to the door trying not to look like an idiot who is scared of spiders who wandered into a spider house, I realised the automatic door was one way and closed! Before I shamed myself weeping and hammering on the door, someone came too close and triggered it! I thought everything came with trigger warnings these days. The name may have been a giveaway but why didn't they clearly say on the outside they meant it literally?!?! I can cope with a big spider in a tank but not hanging about above my head 😱.

I'd be most concerned about protecting the spiders from people (and especially from British tourists...).