Scary comic from xkcd

This comic describes the pace of global warming and how much it diverges from the norm.

xkcd: Earth Temperature Timeline

Something to try with the boys

There are ways to speed up the process of becoming an expert.

Barking up the wrong tree: How to be an expert

The Power of Touch

Great post from "Barking Up the Wrong Tree" on the Power of Touch:

Bakadesuyo: The Power of Touch

Swift Playgrounds

I see that there is now a new coding app for kids.

OB has expressed his interest in learning how to code. This app will use the Swift programming language. It is the main language currently used by Apple for its own apps. I'd be interested to see what he comes up with.

MIT ILP

I recently attended the MIT Industrial Liaison Program (ILP) Digital Health Conference in Cambridge. It was a really amazing conference. There were presentations by so many brilliant minds. You could literally feel your brain aching as it struggled to keep up with all of the topics.

Here is an example of what we discussed (just on the first day!):

I found one slide in particular summed up my personal opinion on much of what we discussed. While there are many things that these technologies can do, it will be more important for us to focus that activity on improving a specific process to achieve a desirable outcome!

I also learned that I should be thankful I don't have to commute in to Boston every day. Even though it isn't nearly as crowded as NYC, it's still too reminiscent of an ant farm!

The MIT Media Lab also has a wonderful view of the Charles and the city of Boston from the sixth floor deck.

I anxiously await the next version of this meeting!

World's largest game of catch

On Sunday, September 4, 2016, we went to the Pawtucket Red Sox game. While the PawSox won the game, it was a relatively dull 1-0 game. The only run scored on a failed pickoff attempt in the first inning that went to centerfield and allowed the runner to race home from 2nd base! Justin Haley starred for the PawSox. He struck out seven and only walked one. He carried a no-hitter into the eighth inning, but lost it when a ball hit his leg and rolled behind the mound too far for him to throw out the runner at first.

After the game, we attempted to set a world record for the world's largest game of catch. The previous record had been 1,058 set in Cincinnati. We ended up with 1,133 people!

Over the Monster article
ABC news link Providence

Here are some photos and quick video from the event:

Something to try someday?

JetBlue is trying to bring a business class experience at half the cost of its competition.

Here are some of the ways that they are doing that:

Before going any further, let’s explain why airplane food has had the same lousy reputation since the 1980s. One part is stinginess, understandable in an industry with tiny profit margins. Another is that most food comes from the same few industrial catering kitchens. Airlines often partner with fancy chefs to plan menus, but catering chefs do the day-to-day grunt work of churning out meals for a bunch of carriers.

Then there’s the combination of cabin pressure, altitude, and dry air that knocks out roughly 30 percent of a person’s sense of taste, Farmerie says. Salt can fill that gap, but a heavy pour can create the over-processed texture people associate with plane food.

....

The chef relies on vinegar and earthy root spices to cut through airplane-induced malaise without going too salty. That’s why he serves his ribeye with a balsamic-ginger reduction. The citrus tang of grapefruit and Thai chili makes for poached salmon that’s bright, “not just this big, salty explosion which makes you feel dehydrated and horrible,” he says.

JetBlue goes to great lengths to keep Mint customers satisfied :

The illusion of constant luxury, JetBlue’s Perry says, relies on timing. After test runs in mock Mint cabins, Perry and his team realized passengers were most antsy while waiting for someone to take their order. Now, flight attendants ask them what they want to eat right away, and hold the orders until meal time. At least one crew member floats between Mint and economy, helping wherever they’re needed. “It reminds me of an old jazz quote about how drummers are the ones you don’t notice,” says Perry. “It’s only when they make a mistake that you notice them.”

Mint is working well for JetBlue. Those routes are some of the most profitable at the airline. Profits are up 20 percent and they are actively looking to expand.

Here is the link to the full article:

Inside JetBlue's Quest to Make Plane Food Great