2016-04-29-2237Z


some disjointed observations I've scribbled on my hand and want to get out into cyberspace before the ink wears off...

there has to be a market for fitbit-compatible exercise equipment. you get "credit" for a treadmill, generally, because the footfalls activate the accelerometer, but a stair-stepper doesn't work because there's no impact to speak of. this has to be in the works somewhere, but I haven't seen it in the wild yet.

I remember hearing or reading that sunburn is worse in higher latitudes because the atmosphere is thickest at the equator and thinnest at the poles, and thinner atmosphere absorbs less ultraviolet light. but I just noticed in Anaheim how red the back of my hands got after just one day in that sun, compared to all winter in La Paz with no redness.

I remember as a kid my Dad had handwarmers or footwarmers that looked like a cigarette lighter and ran off some kind of fuel. I've got to see if I can find some on eBay and try to use them as core warmers for sleeping outside without a sleeping bag.

bottle caps on unopened beer bottles saw right through Chico bags (and similar ripstop nylon bags like those from Ikea). I've got to either stop buying mechanically-capped beer, or find a solution for this problem. those damned bags are expensive.

got to start getting local jobs at nextdoor.com. it's a way to build community while making a little money. civil society as we know it is bound to implode soon, at least in parts of America. this roller coaster ride is coming to an end, and we in urban areas need networks for protection.

got a semi-positive ID on the plant I instagrammed the other day: a lactuca, wild lettuce, whose lactose supposedly contains opiates or chemicals with a similar effect. that could be useful, need to research more on it. I've seen the stuff everywhere in California.

I've been chewing over ideas for making something that can turn any plastic bag into a waterproof seal for things like electronics. but I remember seeing a YouTube video in which a guy just cuts the top off a plastic bottle, loops a bag through the bottle top, and seals it with the cap. that ought to work for my purposes, if I can find a way to attach a lanyard. need some experiments along those lines.

batteries (or more precisely, cells) go bad, often corroding the flashlight or whatever device they were left in to where they are irreparable. either you need to keep all batteries in waterproof storage until needed, and load and unload the device at the time of use, or some better solution needs to come along. so how about going backwards? to the days of dry cells that need an activating liquid added? just two pieces of metal with some (possibly salt-impregnated) cardboard between them. add water and you're good to go. obviously it's a little more complicated than that, otherwise you just end up with a short circuit. but this would have value especially for devices like emergency flashlights, which you need to work when employed. and water is always available: spit, urine, salt water, whatever. another use for this would be as a moisture alarm. it will be almost guaranteed to work, because the presence of moisture will activate the cell.

all for now. go ahead and play with anything that sounds interesting. if you make millions from one of my ideas, feel free to send some beer money my way!

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last updated 2016-04-29 22:28:04. served from tektonic.jcomeau.com