Here’s an example of a product invention that does a lot with a little. The Jeri-Rigg is a polyester webbing strap that terminates in a hook or an eye, your choice. The strap can be looped around anything and the hook or eye drawn through the slit in the strap, creating a tie-down point.
The idea, writes Michigan-based inventor Jerry Hill, is to avoid doing what’s shown in the two photos below when there’s no suitable tie-down point:
That’s not a secure connection, as you might find out the hard way. Thus Hill’s solution:
The applications are numerous:
"The Jeri-Rigg (Eye version) has a tested workload between 1100-3000 pounds and has a breaking strength between 3300-9000 pounds and comes in 4 sizes; the "Hook" version has a working load between 280-500 pounds and a breaking strength between 840-1500 pounds and comes in three sizes."
"The strap is made of 100% high strength polyester and the eyes are made of 316 marine grade stainless steel. The hooks are made of 1020 steel, then powder coated to protect them from corrosion."
"It is designed to handle the toughest of elements and conditions."
Prices start at $17 for the eye version and $19 for the hook version.
Enlarge/ Take a peek inside the Ars vault with us!
Aurich Lawson | Getty Images
A bit over three years ago, just before COVID hit, we ran a long piece on the tools and tricks that make Ars function without a physical office. Ars has spent decades perfecting how to get things done as a distributed remote workforce, and as it turns out, we were even more fortunate than we realized because that distributed nature made working through the pandemic more or less a non-event for us. While other companies were scrambling to get work-from-home arranged for their employees, we kept on trucking without needing to do anything different.
However, there was a significant change that Ars went through right around the time that article was published. January 2020 marked our transition away from physical infrastructure and into a wholly cloud-based hosting environment. After years of great service from the folks at Server Central (now Deft), the time had come for a leap into the clouds—and leap we did.
There were a few big reasons to make the change, but the ones that mattered most were feature- and cost-related. Ars fiercely believes in running its own tech stack, mainly because we can iterate new features faster that way, and our community platform is unique among other Condé Nast brands. So when the rest of the company was either moving to or already on Amazon Web Services (AWS), we could hop on the bandwagon and take advantage of Condé’s enterprise pricing. That—combined with no longer having to maintain physical reserve infrastructure to absorb big traffic spikes and being able to rely on scaling—fundamentally changed the equation for us.
In addition to cost, we also jumped at the chance to rearchitect how the Ars Technica website and its components were structured and served. We were using a “virtual private cloud” setup at our previous hosting—it was a pile of dedicated physical servers running VMWare vSphere—but rolling everything into AWS gave us the opportunity to reassess the site and adopt some solid reference architecture.
Cloudy with a chance of infrastructure
And now, with that redesign having been functional and stable for a couple of years and a few billion page views (really!), we want to invite you all behind the curtain to peek at how we keep a major site like Ars online and functional. This article will be the first in a four-part series on how Ars Technica works—we’ll examine both the basic technology choices that power Ars and the software with which we hook everything together.
This first piece, which we’re embarking on now, will look at the setup from a high level and then focus on the actual technology components—we’ll show the building blocks and how those blocks are arranged. Another week, we’ll follow up with a more detailed look at the applications that run Ars and how those applications fit together within the infrastructure; after that, we’ll dig into the development environment and look at how Ars Tech Director Jason Marlin creates and deploys changes to the site.
Finally, in part 4, we’ll take a bit of a peek into the future. There are some changes that we’re thinking of making—the lure (and price!) of 64-bit ARM offerings is a powerful thing—and in part 4, we’ll look at that stuff and talk about our upcoming plans to migrate to it.
Ars Technica: What we’re doing
But before we look at what we want to do tomorrow, let’s look at what we’re doing today. Gird your loins, dear readers, and let’s dive in.
To start, here’s a block diagram of the specific AWS services Ars uses. It’s a relatively simple way to represent a complex interlinked structure:
Enlarge/ A high-level diagram of the Ars AWS setup.
Lee Hutchinson
Ars leans on multiple pieces of the AWS tech stack. We’re dependent on an Application Load Balancer (ALB) to first route incoming visitor traffic to the appropriate Ars back-end service (more on those services in part 2). Downstream of the ALB, we use two services called Elastic Container Services (ECS) and Fargate in conjunction with each other to spin up Docker-like containers to do work. Another service, Lambda, is used to run cron jobs for the WordPress application that forms the core of the Ars website (yes, Ars runs WordPress—we’ll get into that in part 2).
Most USB-C docks are pretty nondescript. But RayCue’s retro docks borrow their looks from the OG Apple Macintosh. The 128K Dock looks like a 1980s Mac, and packs USB-A, USB-C, HDMI, Ethernet, and headphone jacks. It’s also a Bluetooth speaker, a memory card reader, and a digital photo frame. The simpler Pocket dock looks like a tiny Mac keyboard.
You guys, it’s only a matter of time before the rioters return to our big cities for another round of destruction. Usually, for some reason, it happens during an election year, so look for them to arrive in a few month’s time, maybe a year tops.
Introducing LaravelGPT, a tool designed to simplify the integration of OpenAI’s ChatGPT with your Laravel applications. This package offers a seamless connection to the OpenAI Chat Completions API, even supporting Function Calling. Forget the complications of crafting the correct JSON schema – LaravelGPT does the work for you. Say goodbye to dense, hard-to-read code, and start building the applications of the future! With LaravelGPT, you can truly unleash the power of ChatGPT in your applications, setting the stage for innovation and advanced user interaction.
Installation
You can install the package via composer:
composer require maltekuhr/laravel-gpt
Next you need to configure your OpenAI API Key and Organization ID. You can find both in the OpenAI Dashboard.
https://developer.rockero.cz/images/og_image.pngWe have released a collection of technology standards and best practices about Laravel. Most of the tips come from well-known Laravel developers or directly from the way the Laravel framework is written. Visit our Wiki and take your knowledge a step further!Laravel News Links
I attended a Honda XR150L ride event expecting to be wholly unimpressed and bored by such a small, low-powered, and low-tech motorcycle. And I predicted a struggle in writing anything positive. I was wrong.
It is true that the Honda XR150L is an air-cooled, low-tech “beginner” dual sport bike. But for 20 years, these attributes have helped the unassuming little bike function in markets like Latin America and Thailand as a super-reliable transporter. And in cultures like these, “suggested maintenance schedules” are probably laughable. But the XR150L has soldiered on for decades and is now available as a 2023 model in the U.S.
Our group of motorcycle journalists and YouTubers rode the bikes hard for a little under 60 miles in beautiful Solvang, Calif. We rode a mixture of rough country blacktop, smooth highway tarmac, and both hardpacked and loose dirt. I had a smile on my face the whole time.
In short: The 2023 Honda XR150L fills many voids, thanks to its easy-to-ride nature and incredibly low MSRP of $2,971. It can hold its own in the garage of both new and experienced riders as a practical and reliable short-distance commuter that can also tackle easier off-road adventuring. All with proven reliability that is hard to beat.
The Honda XR150L stat sheet reads like it was custom-made for new or beginner riders. Nothing on this bike should scare anyone nor impede any part of the learning experience.
First off, it has the lowest seat height in the class at 32.8 inches, which made getting my feet down relaxed and easy.
A low seat height made getting feet down flat easy; (photo/American Honda Motor Co.)
Next, the 149.2cc air-cooled, carbureted motor revs slowly and peaks out at 12.5 horsepower (according to the EPA). It was tame and tractable by any measure. I’ve found that new riders are usually scared of the bike getting away from them, especially off road. No such fears should exist on the Honda XR150L.
And though the motorcycle is low and small, it comes with a 19-inch diameter front wheel and a 17-inch rear. These allowed it to roll over obstacles easier than smaller wheels, which can be typical on small-displacement bikes.
Finally, the front dual-piston brake caliper clamps down on a 240mm rotor while a 110mm drum brake scrubs speed in the rear. For the bike’s size, weight, and power and for a beginner, I felt this is an appropriate setup.
Dual-Sport Ride Impressions
The simple instrument cluster limited distractions. The top speed is hopeful; (photo/American Honda Motor Co.)
The Honda XR150L was incredibly easy to ride. The electric start, low seat height, and gentle power delivery made for relaxed riding for anyone experienced, and I felt that beginners couldn’t ask for a better platform on which to learn. Nothing about the bike seemed inaccessible or unpredictable.
The one notable exception was the front brake. I appreciated that it had power, but it was touchy. The initial bite was aggressive compared to the rear brake by a large margin. This could have been due to the bike being new and the disc brake pads and rotor not being bedded in (a procedure that deposits brake pad material into the metal of the rotor, drastically improving braking). But I got used to it, and during our ride, the brake got bedded in.
The upright seated position was comfortable for my 6-foot frame; (photo/American Honda Motor Co.)
The bike was obviously smaller than most motorcycles I ride, but the upright seated position was comfortable for my 6-foot frame for the entire day. The standing “attack” position while dirt biking was lacking, though. For my height and arm length, the bars were too low. The solution would be riser bars or taller bar clamps.
The bars were too low for the standing off-road “attack” position for me; (photo/American Honda Motor Co.)
Also, the Honda XR150L was ludicrously quiet, which could be a huge plus in some off-road riding areas.
XR150L Limitations?
The 31mm conventional fork has 7.1 inches of travel, and a single rear shock services 5.9 inches of boing. These were fine for the roads, as long as I avoided the combination of large obstacles and high speed. For 95% of the on-road travel that the rest of the bike could handle, the suspension was adequate.
And for the new or beginner motorcyclist venturing into easy dirt riding, the suspension and motor were appropriate. Honda chose settings for comfort both on the road and off. The soft suspension and motor output were a match for the slower speeds of newer riders on unfamiliar terrain. For an experienced rider, both were limiters, but it wasn’t all bad.
While respecting the intended use of the Honda XR150L, I pushed the bike on the most challenging trail that was available. It was a chicken/egg situation; was I limited by the motor or the suspension? Either way, I had to downshift often and go full throttle to get up and over some obstacles. Or, I had to back off as I bottomed both fork and shock on occasion.
But you know what? I was having a blast. At one point in my career, all I tested was dirt bikes or adventure bikes and related gear. My skill or fitness was the limiter. Most of the time, the motorcycle could deliver more power and had more suspension than I could ever use. But with the Honda XR150L, it was the opposite.
Trying to carry as much momentum as possible through a turn; (photo/American Honda Motor Co.)
I over-rode the bike. Instead of pulling short of the bike’s motor or chassis, the bike was making me ride within its limits. And man, it was so much fun. I was always relaxed and never had a thought about the bike bucking me off or throwing me down. I was forced to ride precisely and use excellent technique. A bike with more power and suspension allows me to let those slide.
Carrying momentum around turns was a must, as I didn’t have the power to just crawl through the turn and point and shoot. I had to take smart lines around obstacles because I didn’t have the suspension to charge through “dumb” lines. I had to brake and accelerate early, on the meat of the tire, and in the right line because I lacked the traction, braking ability, and power to do otherwise.
After I got home, I told a very experienced rider friend what I knew but haven’t practiced myself. Riding a bike with limited ability makes you a better rider. I vow to ride my two-stroke 250cc bike more than my four-stroke 501cc. And she did the same as she understood my logic. I want the same things I experienced on the Honda XR150L to make me a better rider.
As a side note, swapping the stock tires for DOT-approved knobby tires would make a world of difference on the dirt. And in a full aero tuck, I managed just shy of 70 mph with my 170-pound body, on a flat highway, in still conditions.
Honda XR150L: Who It’s For
In a Scottish accent: “I’m giving her all she’s got, captain!” (photo/American Honda Motor Co.)
The Honda XR150L is ideal for new and beginner riders who want a reliable and easy-to-handle motorcycle that they can take on tamer off-road adventures. It would be stupendous for a college student who doesn’t have the money or time to care for a high-maintenance ride but still wants to be able to “go anywhere.”
For more experienced pilots, the little Honda XR150L can still hold a spot. It’s an affordable runabout that can zip to the grocery store or coffee shop, on a country dirt road, or a meandering rural blacktop. It would provide a relaxed, low-stress way of getting about without the hassles of fully gearing up to ride a much larger and more powerful bike.
And as I stated, taking it out and deliberately over-riding the XR150L was both fun and productive in terms of honing off-road riding skills.
2023 Honda XR150L Review: Conclusions
Spot that corner exit! (photo/American Honda Motor Co.)
The bottom line: You can get a brand new, super reliable, low-hassle short-distance transporter that can venture on easier off-road missions for less than $3,000 MSRP. This is the lowest-priced full-size dual-sport motorcycle on the U.S. market in 2023.
For new or beginner riders, or street riders new to dirt, the Honda XR150L is such a great option. It’s very difficult for me to think of another dual sport motorcycle that is so appropriate for new riders.
As a final word, my daughter is 10. She has seen motorcycles zipping around her entire life. If she were to ask for one in the near future, not knowing what kind of riding she likes, this is the motorcycle I would get for her. I can’t think of a better recommendation.
In 1864, David Goodell revolutionized kitchen food prep with the invention of a hand-cranked device that could peel an apple in a matter of seconds. Fifty-nine years later, Chipotle is introducing the next innovation in automated fruit prep with Autocado: a robot that can halve, peel, and core a mountain of avocados with minimal human assistance.
Litter Robot 3 Review: How Much Would Tom Pay For It?
Chipotle, the US-based chain of “fast-casual” restaurants that also operates in countries like Canada, the UK, Germany, and France, actually refers to its new robot as a “cobotic prototype” because it’s designed to work in collaboration with kitchen staff in order to speed up the preparation of guacamole. Although mashing up and mixing other ingredients with avocados to make guacamole seems like a much easier task for a ‘cobot’ to handle, Autocado instead deals with the most time-consuming step of making guac: prepping the avocados.
You can watch the full video of the Autocado by clicking on the image below:
Image: Chipotle
Developed as part of a collaboration with a company called Vebu that “works with food industry leaders to co-create intelligent automation and technology solutions,” the Autocado can be loaded with up to 25lbs. or ripe avocados (it has no means to determine which avocados are ready for prep) which the cobot slices in half and then removes the pit and peel, depositing the unwanted parts in a waste bin. The rest of the fruit is dropped into a giant stainless steel bowl which can be directly transferred to a counter and used to finish the final guacamole prep. The company showed off “chippy” last fall, a bot that helps make chips.
According to Chipotle, on average it takes about 50 minutes for kitchen staff at its restaurants to turn avocados into a batch of guacamole, including the peeling and coring steps. With Autocado, the process could potentially take half the amount of time, freeing up kitchen staff for other food prep tasks while still ensuring that customers are served freshly made guac. There doesn’t seem to be a definitive timeline for when Autocado will be introduced at Chipotle locations across the country, the robot appears to still be in the prototype stage. But if it proves to be successful, here’s to hoping the technology can also be miniaturized for home use.
