Thursday, April 15, 2021
Ten days ago, I took possession of two plants for my home office. As low maintenance plants, today is their first watering day. Oddly, I know more about what happens if I eat them than how to care for them. (ZZ plant contains large amounts of oxalate, and Macho the cactus could cure all sorts of ailments and give me hallucinations thanks to mescaline.) But finding a consistent answer to the question, "how often and how much water should I give these plants?" has been surprisingly tricky. I interpret this lack of detailed care data as reflecting the plants' highest-valued trait - to live despite being in my office.
https://www.livinginperu.com/huachuma-the-san-pedro-cactus-healing-medicine/
and
https://smartgardenguide.com/is-a-zz-plant-poisonous/
-----
CDC National Hospitalization trend data
https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#hospitalizations
Global-View:
https://www.ft.com/content/a2901ce8-5eb7-4633-b89c-cbdf5b386938
Nationally:
https://ig.ft.com/coronavirus-chart/?areas=usa&areas=gbr&areasRegional=usny&areasRegional=usca&areasRegional=usfl&areasRegional=ustx&areasRegional=usco&cumulative=0&logScale=0&perMillion=1&values=casesf
The U.S. Regionally - N.Y. Times:
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/us/coronavirus-us-cases.html
Vaccine Tracker
https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#vaccination-trends
-----
Doctors and others filled Twitter with detailed discussions about weighing relative risk in light of the J&J vaccine data. The commentary is comforting but not pithy enough. Understanding the safety issues is critical, but we will need to tackle the publicity fallout as well.
https://twitter.com/celinegounder/status/1382493473933307918
and
https://twitter.com/jeremyfaust/status/1382536839626682368
BBC offers this excellent infographic-driven article on why vaccines alone are not enough. And the shout-out to Ian Mackay and his swiss cheese defense model" is noted.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/resources/idt-40ac92b1-1750-4e86-9936-2cda6b0acb3f
It appears surface cleaning ("hygiene theater") is coming to the gaze of the negative publicity version of Sauron's eye. While I understand the principle of keeping focused on the most effective strategies for stopping viral spread (masks! distances! outdoors!), I hope we have permanently shifted our societal norms around handwashing.
https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2021/04/end-hygiene-theater/618576/
My kids are heading back to in-classroom schooling today (more on this next week, I'm sure.) The National Institute of Standards and Technology (@NIST) has some excellent publications about managing the risk of viral spread in schools. Spoiler alert - masks AND filtered, high volume air exchange are the answer.
https://twitter.com/NIST/status/1382017160654974978
full report
https://www.nist.gov/publications/single-zone-simulations-using-fatima-reducing-aerosol-exposure-educational-spaces
Infographic of the day: Rubik's Cube
I know a person who got a job based on his ability to solve a Rubik's Cube in under 90 seconds. Having that skill, putting it on your resume, and interviewing with a lawyer (for a summer internship) who had a Rubik's Cube in his desk seems like a highly improbable set of events. But, just in case your resume is light on on-point skills, here you go:
https://www.dailyinfographic.com/the-ultimate-party-trick-learn-how-to-solve-a-rubiks-cube
---Bonus Round - Hello, my name is
Random things I learned while waiting to see my dermatologist yesterday include:
King penguins have unique vocalizations that allow them to identify each other, even in large groups. You need to watch the video to appreciate this.
https://www.penguinsinternational.org/2019/08/11/king-penguins-and-their-voices/
Dolphins have specific whistle-pattern names to which they respond.
https://www.euronews.com/living/2020/05/01/dolphins-call-each-other-by-unique-names-say-scientists-tuning-in
Somewhat ironically (in the age of social media and angry pundits), language appears to be the evolutionary result of cooperative activities between individuals of a species. If only our Australopithecan ancestors pre-supposed cable news channels. Maybe they would have chosen to be quiet.
https://australian.museum/learn/science/human-evolution/how-do-we-know-if-they-could-speak/
and
https://www.pnas.org/content/96/14/8028
Clean hands and sharp minds,
Adam
P.S. - Back on Monday. Be safe.
Ten days ago, I took possession of two plants for my home office. As low maintenance plants, today is their first watering day. Oddly, I know more about what happens if I eat them than how to care for them. (ZZ plant contains large amounts of oxalate, and Macho the cactus could cure all sorts of ailments and give me hallucinations thanks to mescaline.) But finding a consistent answer to the question, "how often and how much water should I give these plants?" has been surprisingly tricky. I interpret this lack of detailed care data as reflecting the plants' highest-valued trait - to live despite being in my office.
https://www.livinginperu.com/huachuma-the-san-pedro-cactus-healing-medicine/
and
https://smartgardenguide.com/is-a-zz-plant-poisonous/
-----
CDC National Hospitalization trend data
https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#hospitalizations
Global-View:
https://www.ft.com/content/a2901ce8-5eb7-4633-b89c-cbdf5b386938
Nationally:
https://ig.ft.com/coronavirus-chart/?areas=usa&areas=gbr&areasRegional=usny&areasRegional=usca&areasRegional=usfl&areasRegional=ustx&areasRegional=usco&cumulative=0&logScale=0&perMillion=1&values=casesf
The U.S. Regionally - N.Y. Times:
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/us/coronavirus-us-cases.html
Vaccine Tracker
https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#vaccination-trends
-----
Doctors and others filled Twitter with detailed discussions about weighing relative risk in light of the J&J vaccine data. The commentary is comforting but not pithy enough. Understanding the safety issues is critical, but we will need to tackle the publicity fallout as well.
https://twitter.com/celinegounder/status/1382493473933307918
and
https://twitter.com/jeremyfaust/status/1382536839626682368
BBC offers this excellent infographic-driven article on why vaccines alone are not enough. And the shout-out to Ian Mackay and his swiss cheese defense model" is noted.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/resources/idt-40ac92b1-1750-4e86-9936-2cda6b0acb3f
It appears surface cleaning ("hygiene theater") is coming to the gaze of the negative publicity version of Sauron's eye. While I understand the principle of keeping focused on the most effective strategies for stopping viral spread (masks! distances! outdoors!), I hope we have permanently shifted our societal norms around handwashing.
https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2021/04/end-hygiene-theater/618576/
My kids are heading back to in-classroom schooling today (more on this next week, I'm sure.) The National Institute of Standards and Technology (@NIST) has some excellent publications about managing the risk of viral spread in schools. Spoiler alert - masks AND filtered, high volume air exchange are the answer.
https://twitter.com/NIST/status/1382017160654974978
full report
https://www.nist.gov/publications/single-zone-simulations-using-fatima-reducing-aerosol-exposure-educational-spaces
Infographic of the day: Rubik's Cube
I know a person who got a job based on his ability to solve a Rubik's Cube in under 90 seconds. Having that skill, putting it on your resume, and interviewing with a lawyer (for a summer internship) who had a Rubik's Cube in his desk seems like a highly improbable set of events. But, just in case your resume is light on on-point skills, here you go:
https://www.dailyinfographic.com/the-ultimate-party-trick-learn-how-to-solve-a-rubiks-cube
---Bonus Round - Hello, my name is
Random things I learned while waiting to see my dermatologist yesterday include:
King penguins have unique vocalizations that allow them to identify each other, even in large groups. You need to watch the video to appreciate this.
https://www.penguinsinternational.org/2019/08/11/king-penguins-and-their-voices/
Dolphins have specific whistle-pattern names to which they respond.
https://www.euronews.com/living/2020/05/01/dolphins-call-each-other-by-unique-names-say-scientists-tuning-in
Somewhat ironically (in the age of social media and angry pundits), language appears to be the evolutionary result of cooperative activities between individuals of a species. If only our Australopithecan ancestors pre-supposed cable news channels. Maybe they would have chosen to be quiet.
https://australian.museum/learn/science/human-evolution/how-do-we-know-if-they-could-speak/
and
https://www.pnas.org/content/96/14/8028
Clean hands and sharp minds,
Adam
P.S. - Back on Monday. Be safe.
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