tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13900197.comments2023-10-15T05:20:00.675-06:00Entropy ProductionRobert McLeodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05270962906437456350noreply@blogger.comBlogger691125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13900197.post-28935431365889700822017-01-09T04:44:32.641-07:002017-01-09T04:44:32.641-07:00Well, bloscpack is just implemented in Python, but...Well, bloscpack is just implemented in Python, but provided that its format is documented, nothing prevents you to add a tool to create/read bloscpack files from other languages. It is more work to do, yes.<br /><br />OTOH, I don't completely get your comment on CPython streams for wrapping Blosc2. Blosc2 has its own 'stream' interface via the `blosc2_append_buffer()` and `blosc2_packed_append_buffer()` which in principle are not designed to play with the Python stream interface.Franceschttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00145864969021566589noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13900197.post-6236506482328432222017-01-09T03:22:46.258-07:002017-01-09T03:22:46.258-07:00Hey Francesc, for me this case was a two-horse rac...Hey Francesc, for me this case was a two-horse race between JSON and Message Pack, as they have C-implementations. I've used bloscpack in the past, but I didn't want to be restricted to Python. It's nice from the point of view that it provides chunking support, and it can serialize with JSON, but it would have complicated things by wrapping numpy arrays in a different style than I want for my C-implementation. I added pickle and marshal into the mix because it was trivially easy to do so.<br /><br />I looked briefly into the CPython streams implementation, that looks to be a tricky piece of code to wrap in C99 for blosc2. It's definitely not written in the blosc style of a C-library with a thin Pyton wrapper, so good luck.Robert McLeodhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05270962906437456350noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13900197.post-34516977627728590362014-02-02T19:44:11.048-07:002014-02-02T19:44:11.048-07:00The virus may stay where it entered the body or it...The virus may stay where it entered the body or it can move through the blood, inside white blood cells, lymphatic vessels, or nerves.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14889202147981086655noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13900197.post-5607196209701863782013-03-17T09:03:30.856-06:002013-03-17T09:03:30.856-06:00Hi Robert,
Usually I do not read article on blogs,...Hi Robert,<br />Usually I do not read article on blogs, but I would like to say that this write-up very pressured me to check out and do it! Your writing taste has been surprised me. Thank you, quite nice article. <br /><br />Merlen Hogg<br /><a href="http://www.th-service.no/hms/" rel="nofollow">skumming isolering</a>Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02919074554562455003noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13900197.post-84966162642177488222013-01-03T15:01:42.487-07:002013-01-03T15:01:42.487-07:00Good to see you back on the scene.I train for the ...Good to see you back on the scene.I train for the Ironman when I'm not working at DMESupplygroup. I am training for my second this November. Because I run and bike so much my hammies are always super tight. I hate stretching. Great post thanks a lot. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09508514922351598205noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13900197.post-76856719666423897382013-01-01T08:10:48.084-07:002013-01-01T08:10:48.084-07:00Many years ago I worked in a copper refinery. We ...Many years ago I worked in a copper refinery. We produced Te as a byproduct of precious metals refining. The stuff piled up in one ton super sacks in a warehouse. At the time the company kept the material - they said "maybe someone will find a use for this stuff someday?AK Engineerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14212732718869625585noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13900197.post-77941742680830808912012-12-30T12:07:00.391-07:002012-12-30T12:07:00.391-07:00Poliquins' comment on the lack of correlation ...Poliquins' comment on the lack of correlation between static and dynamic flexibility is interesting. It makes a certain amount of sense give the various tissues and organelles that determine flexibility, but I'd like to see the citation.Robert McLeodhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05270962906437456350noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13900197.post-56535868971520947642012-12-30T12:00:55.722-07:002012-12-30T12:00:55.722-07:00The Adam Curtis blog is interesting, although he g...The Adam Curtis blog is interesting, although he goes off on far too many tangents that aren't germane to the discussion. I'm definitely not one of the conceited practitioners of yoga who claims it's 5000 years old and hence an immutable, perfect science. Yoga has a habit of ripping off the bandaid that covers spiritual practices and showing the whole world what the reality is (see the John Friend scandal this year). Bikram is an excellent example of that. <br /><br />The asana (poses) part of the practice is quite recent, at least in the form of the Ashtanga and Iyeneger styles and their derivatives. There are, older, much simpler asana sets. If Krishnamacharya did something wrong, it was to falsify the lineage. Yoga's a science, and an incomplete one. <br /><br />I see all sorts of mixing in physical culture as it evolves as a science, so I don't think there's anything wrong with yoga appropriating concepts from the outside world. For example, a lot of Russian gymnastic practices that Pavel Tsatsouline popularized were all borrowed from Eastern physical culture, including yoga. <br /><br />I've had hamstring issues too, mostly from too much bicycling and not enough walking/running which lead to overly strong quads and overly weak hammies. I don't really have a problem with facilitated stretching (i.e. Pavel's 'forced relaxation'). It's when people go to the edge of their flexibility and then start pulling on the muscle that causes problems. <br /><br />Robert McLeodhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05270962906437456350noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13900197.post-21981484292793682992012-12-29T10:30:55.311-07:002012-12-29T10:30:55.311-07:00Now watched the video and his followup video. This...Now watched the video and his followup video. This is good material. Like his attitude. I'll want to use this. ThanksVVillyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02460593942095898334noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13900197.post-65208430486440249702012-12-29T09:35:51.577-07:002012-12-29T09:35:51.577-07:001) coach Poliquins (no idiot) take on it:
https://...1) coach Poliquins (no idiot) take on it:<br />https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Odj5Xianyks<br /><br />2) according to Adam Curtis, Yoga is just recycled European exercises from the era of physical culture http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/adamcurtis/posts/bodybuilding_and_nation-buildi<br /><br />[warning: Adam Curtis posts are really long, but worth it]<br /><br />personal experience:<br />3) pnf stretching? My hams are chronic tight and that's all that seems to help.<br />4) I've had bad form, ie. squat, and the only solution was to stretch out over-tight muscles that kept me from proper form. I'm asking for injuries otherwise.<br /><br />Glad to see you back blogging! <br />Physics and latest fitness info - excellent combo!VVillyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02460593942095898334noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13900197.post-10765688269809821862012-10-28T15:46:46.470-06:002012-10-28T15:46:46.470-06:00It was my experience that 3,000 iu vitamin D actua...It was my experience that 3,000 iu vitamin D actually made me more susceptible to cold and flu, but that increasing vit D to 10,000 iu has kept me immune to this kind of infection for the past year and more.<br />Also, some of the earlier vit D dose was coming from cod liver oil, and this may have been immunosuppressive.<br />So stopping the CLO when I upped the dose may have helped to some extent.<br />I question whether anyone should take humungous doses of vit D every month - why don't they study physiological doses, i.e. daily doses that mimic sunlight exposure?Puddleghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00953398103675945541noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13900197.post-74435601896229338272012-10-06T07:36:29.675-06:002012-10-06T07:36:29.675-06:00Robert,
Thanks for examining this report & ma...Robert,<br /><br />Thanks for examining this report & making the Table of results available.<br /><br />I agree with your observation that flu prevention alone is a good reason for Winter supplementation of Vit D in Northern latitudes.<br /><br />SlainteLeonRoverhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01484097018449402128noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13900197.post-45676888158566555242012-06-27T00:26:33.217-06:002012-06-27T00:26:33.217-06:00This blog site has lots of really useful info on i...This blog site has lots of really useful info on it! Cheers for informing me!<br /><br /><a href="http://www.polarracking.com/h/news" rel="nofollow">Solar Racking Manufacturers</a>Stevehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08746314915189529019noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13900197.post-13500592013666277622012-02-10T10:12:20.170-07:002012-02-10T10:12:20.170-07:00"I'm not really sure however because the ..."I'm not really sure however because the two data sets don't seem to be consistant."<br />They are actually consistent, but there are subtleties you might have overlooked.<br />There are in fact _two_ standard spectra, as described in ASTM G173: the one you describe first is the global irradiance spectrum for a 37deg-tilted surface. It is used for flat-plate PV rating.<br />These spectra are mutually consistent, and have been generated by my SMARTS spectral model, v2.9.2. See http://www.solarconsultingservices.com/smarts.php<br /><br />The other one is a direct irradiance spectrum, for direct irradiance at normal incidence. Both are obtained for an air mass of 1.5 and "standard" atmospheric conditions at sea level. The conditions simulated are those typical of the southwest USA, where the atmosphere is very clear (low aerosols, no haze, high solar resource...) This direct spectrum includes a small contribution due to the circumsolar diffuse component within an annulus 3deg from the sun center, which corresponds to the typical field of view of pyrlheliometers. Most of this (small, <1%) contribution cannot be concentrated--contrarily to what Alan says--because the field of view of concentrators used in CPV or CSP applications is much smaller (<1deg). The standard DNI spectrum, including the circumsolar contribution, integrates to 900 W/m2.<br />The consistency you're after results from the fact that<br />Global=DNI*cos(zenith angle)+Diffuse<br />For an air mass of 1.5, the sun's zenith angle is 48.2deg.Qualitashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06299543959035158055noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13900197.post-76542346663662736782011-11-11T02:35:50.367-07:002011-11-11T02:35:50.367-07:00I'm researching thermal storage for a solar co...I'm researching thermal storage for a solar concentrator. Paraffin looks as if it may be my best bet, but I have no idea where to go to learn more or to buy it. Does anyone know where I can get some?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13900197.post-37609849750993884222011-07-02T02:32:05.220-06:002011-07-02T02:32:05.220-06:00Hi,
I recently had a discussion with my friend ab...Hi,<br /><br />I recently had a discussion with my friend about oil prices, and this is how I found your blog. <br /><br />The friend, who I debated with, supports widespread theory that the rise in the oil prices in 2000+ is the result of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. He later refined his point of view, claiming that the cost of wars resulted in deflation of dollar, which resulted in the increase in oil prices.<br /><br />I am not an economist, but a physics researcher, so my main objection was based on the graph showing the dependence of oil prices on time: it seems that a straight line is a rather good fit to the price increase. But a good fit would start at the dip in 2002 or even in 1999 and continue well beyond the Bush's presidency. So the correlation between the wars and the price of oil is doubtful. In addition, apparently most of the local features in the graph are explained by "oil events" unrelated to the wars.<br /><br />I will appreciate your opinion or useful references.<br />In particular:<br />1. Do I understand correctly from your post that the dollar deflation alone (regardless of what caused it) cannot account for the rise of the oil prices?<br /><br />2. Do you think there is any significant/systematic relation with the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan?<br /><br />Sorry, that this sounds too amateurish. I appreciate your help.Vadimhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06904507368259203214noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13900197.post-28204065359323136132011-05-04T07:01:36.582-06:002011-05-04T07:01:36.582-06:00I am interested in this topic because I have cease...I am interested in this topic because I have ceased menstration since becomIng paleo. I also and a convert from a vegetarian of 10 years to a meat eater now since becoming paleo. I think I have this hypothalamic amenorrhea. Does anyone know any medical doctor or someone who can help me with this??Real Life Paleohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16014667902907654178noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13900197.post-51140284554060990142011-01-19T07:17:48.326-07:002011-01-19T07:17:48.326-07:00Ah yes, I see now. May I ask about your conclusion...Ah yes, I see now. May I ask about your conclusion that:<br /><br />"The prevalence of immune system bodies in the adipose tissue of the obese mice illustrates an example of the, "diseases of civilization," being largely driven by dysfunction of the innate immune system, probably egged on by latent viral and bacterial infections and an unnatural diet. The pieces of the puzzle are mostly there now and evidence will continue to accumulate until we have a better view of the whole picture. Stop the sources of inflammation (i.e. immune system activation), give the immune system the substrates it needs to fight effectively, and the other symptoms will go away. "<br /><br />Here, you suggest that "latent viral and bacterial infections and an unnatural diet" are "pieces of the puzzle."<br /><br />I'm wondering if you've thought about whether latent <i>fungal</i> infections might be various pieces of this puzzle, too, especially where fungi opportunistically decompose an unnatural diet? While useful to decompose an unnatural diet, the fungal growths are also attacked by macrophages,* which (possibly?) leads to obesity, either directly or downstream, through immune system compromise that eventually leads to proliferation of the other latent pathogens, viral and bacterial?<br /><br />Thanks again for the great post, and also for your follow up work!<br /><br />* The fungi are also attacked, as you explained, by *phils.Innovatorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06252984695076905280noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13900197.post-48112088814817748982011-01-12T17:20:59.661-07:002011-01-12T17:20:59.661-07:00Sigh... more spam to delete.
Sorry for the delay ...Sigh... more spam to delete.<br /><br />Sorry for the delay in replying Deep. The article you cited suggests neutrophils fail largely when they are defective, i.e. missing a certain gene, so that's not likely to affect the general population, just rare unfortunate individuals. That said, the *phils and macrophages tend to work together. The *phils are suicide shock troops of the innate immune system while the macrophages tend to mop up what's left. <br /><br />The article you provided is pretty specific on mechanisms but doesn't go into much detail on the topic you are actually interested in.Robert McLeodhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05270962906437456350noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13900197.post-33455274319809299592011-01-05T11:27:54.955-07:002011-01-05T11:27:54.955-07:00I accidently deleted a comment by J.A. Deep yester...I accidently deleted a comment by J.A. Deep yesterday when going through the spam:<br /><br /><i>Great to see a post from you, Robert. I'm interested in the role of candidiasis in metabolic syndrome (and hence obesity). I note that mononuclear phagocytes, in some instances in the absence of other professional phagocytes such as neutrophils, also play an import role in resistance to systemic and mucosal candidiasis. <a href="http://mmbr.asm.org/cgi/content/short/61/2/170" rel="nofollow">Cite</a>. Thoughts? Thanks, much. </i>Robert McLeodhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05270962906437456350noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13900197.post-79363013455824954882010-11-29T13:28:53.413-07:002010-11-29T13:28:53.413-07:00I've been trail running and hiking with a pair...I've been trail running and hiking with a pair of these same shoes for over a year now and have been extremely happy with their performance and durability. I also have a pair of Roclite 285s for golf and muddier terrain, and recently used a pair of Roclite 288 GTXs on a wilderness hunting trip. Correct sizing is definitely key. I'm usually a US 10, but I wound up with a 10.5 in the F-lite and an 11 in the Roclites.Jonathanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04890972452904915605noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13900197.post-735202168574805002010-11-25T13:50:48.928-07:002010-11-25T13:50:48.928-07:00Nice review, Robert. I have a pair of F-195s comi...Nice review, Robert. I have a pair of F-195s coming soon (I hope!) that I'm eager to try out.Mikehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07000362967107422435noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13900197.post-60442165994639057392010-09-30T12:50:33.626-06:002010-09-30T12:50:33.626-06:00Hi Ben,
Sorry for the delay in responding, I some...Hi Ben,<br /><br />Sorry for the delay in responding, I sometimes miss real comments in the torrent of spam.<br /><br />I'd think paraffin would be adequate, but isn't an air conditioner already effectively an air-source heat pump?<br /><br />I guess the question is, what's cheaper, a thermal battery or just a bigger electric battery? Currently, lithium batteries are pretty pricey but that might change in the long run.<br /><br />It might also be necessary to keep the batteries warm somehow in a cool climate, no?Robert McLeodhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05270962906437456350noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13900197.post-91738071251701050592010-09-15T15:52:00.277-06:002010-09-15T15:52:00.277-06:00At Carnegie Mellon University, we are converting c...At Carnegie Mellon University, we are converting cars to electric power (www.chargecar.org--not a great website yet). A serious problem is how to heat (or cool) the cabin without using excessive battery power. One thought is a thermal storage device (using PCM?) that can be preheated (from the grid) and provide adequate heat for the trip. Similarly, thermal storage might be used to keep the vehicle batteries warm for better efficiency. Do you know of anyone working on such concepts? Would a paraffin (e.g. 67C) be the right PCM. Any suggestions?Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05245527355970187482noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13900197.post-41962964093020517072010-07-18T10:46:02.779-06:002010-07-18T10:46:02.779-06:00(My comment and question are only indirectly relat...(My comment and question are only indirectly related to the content of this article. I chose it for my post because it is the most recent here at your blog. I hope you still have time for it.)<br /><br />As we progress further into the 21st century and celebrate more and more success increasing acceptance of the need to replace fossil fuels with renewable energy sources, I sometimes worry about an ironic possibility. Will the people profiting [excessively] from their oil, coal, and gas businesses use more hopeful projections for global warming resulting from successful reduction in carbon emmissions as a way to rally public opinion in favor of even more fracturing, drilling, and mountaintop removal? I have seen no evidence that fossil fuel energy corporations will be any more inclined to act for the common good than Phillip Morris was [and is] when they were forced to admit that their products caused cancer.<br /><br />Yes, it's all about entropy, isn't it?guineu41https://www.blogger.com/profile/14361432260038335884noreply@blogger.com