Load Scheduling
Today snow fell on the mid-western US. Local governments and broadcasters, both of which are clubs of people, asked people to stay at home if they could. The irony of clubs of people rushing to work to tell each other to stay home, or going to work to invent ways to work from home, reminded me of the problem of load scheduling.
In the old days it was natural to work when the weather allowed and get bored when the weather had other plans. Humankind's search for making the rough road straight, or harmonizing its emotions with godly forces, might have a good part of a solution in agreeing to load schedule. In pilot speak perfect load scheduling has a scary analogue called "slow flight". While this documentary never uses the phrase "slow flight" I think it is a wonderful example of how difficult it can be to work together to conserve energy and slow down. http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/tech/th...le-flight.html |
Tonight I came across an example of how much energy people can waste trying to get back to nature. The example came in the form of a Hunter brand air filter. It is, for lack of better words, a vacuum cleaner that blows air into the room that it sucked from. The selling point is that the air is somehow better.
From my perspective it is a machine that wastes electricity to sound like a fan and make the air smell like nothing at all. Who wants air that smells like nothing? Is there a song about that kind of sterility? I wager not. As best I can tell this air filtration piece of junk is trying to be a proxy for whatever goes through Luke Bryan's head as he sings about a box fan sucking in swamp air. The difference is that Luke Bryan is a musician. This air filter is plastic. |
People with too-sensitive allergic reactions want air that smells like nothing.
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In most generic terms I would like to raise an integer to you and celebrate our understanding of frequency domain. In more personal terms I want to thank you for helping me be smaller. Hugs. |
Hugs accepted with gratitude!
I am that person some days, and today would be one of rhem,as I'm coming down with a cold I fear.... |
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With this Hunter brand contraption the paper filter is suddenly serviceable, but a coarse mesh element upstream of it needs to be replaced. WTF? The mesh element looks like a K&N engine filter which is designed to be serviceable. Goddamit. The Hunter filter, although it looks and feels like a K&N filter is not serviceable because it contains charcoal particles that take out stink and are not serviceable. What the hell? Is that where we are seeking innovation and profit? I'm still digesting the profit that was made with record players and George Carlin talking about farting in elevators. :D |
Afaik, the particle filters may be cleanable, the charcoal filters cannot be reactivated and must be replaced to restore that filtering phase.
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But why would people want the air that smells like nothing along with the electric and replacement filter bills that come with it? If I had to earn a living by designing devices that I knew in my heart people really did not want in the long term then I would have to quit my job. In management speak I think the problem would be called "The Road to Abilene" and I am the kid crying in the back seat. :D |
We supposedly needed them in case of toxic particulates escaped from the chemical weapons disposal facility. Now that the facility is closed, folks with severe allergies are using them.
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