During a recent Top Gear bit, Matt LeBlanc turned his attention from cars and interviews to wanton destruction – pushing watermelons, a shed, and an entire Volvo through a Bunning Lowlander Widebody 380HD – a piece of machinery designed for spreading mulch.
Uber’s open source data visualization tool now goes beyond maps
You may not be aware, but Uber offers an open source version of the data visualization framework it uses internally, called deck.gl. The tool was made available to anyone via open source license last November, and now it’s getting some key updates that should help make it more useful to external teams and individuals looking for interesting ways to take their data and turn it into compelling visual representations.
“The main idea behind this library is that it’s a WebGL-powered framework that is designed for exploring and visualizing data assets at scale,” explains Nicolas Garcia Belmonte, Uber’s head of data visualization, regarding why the tool exists to begin with. “There’s a lot of geospatial stuff that we do here, as well, as you can probably imagine from the core business, so we visualize a lot of data on maps.”
Uber has used the tool internally for various purposes, including visualizing the pick-up and drop-off experience, as a way to make material the insights it can gather from the considerable stock of data it gathers form its ride hailing business. Open sourcing the project, according to Belmonte, is a way to help others be able to quickly and easily visualize and explore their own data sets, including very large collections.
The updates to the framework available today make it possible to go beyond maps, to visual data sets from machine learning and other more abstract use cases, including network traffic and more. The team also focused on usability, making it easier than ever to work with for developers with better documentation, as well as new demonstration projects.
Another unique use for Uber’s data viz software – Minecraft visualization.
deck.gl is a rich, flexible tool that according to Belmonte and Uber, has no real peers in the open source community. I asked them whether Uber had ever considered making this a paid offering, even though it’s relatively distant from their core business, given its capabilities.
“Personally, I’m a very big advocate for open source, so I think that open source can help the business in many other ways, and those ways are immediately more valuable than someone paying for this software,” Belmonte said. “I would say this is more about trying to reach out to developers and seeing what they can come up with in creative ways.”
Already, Uber has provided examples of how it can be used to visualize the points collected from a 3D indoor scan in exacting detail, or how it can represent visually Partial Dependence Plots in machine learning applications.
via TechCrunch
Uber’s open source data visualization tool now goes beyond maps
LaserLyte Rumble & Steel Laser Trainer Kit Offers Perfect Plinking Practice
Train like a super hero with reactive Laser Trainer Targets!
COTTONWOOD, AZ —-(Ammoland.com)- LaserLyte, innovators in firearms laser technologies, introduces their most earth-shaking Laser Training Kit to date—the Rumble & Steel Kit. Shooters feel like super heroes when they start plinking LaserLyte’s two newest reactive Trainer Targets with the included Trigger Tyme® Laser Revolver.
Auto-resetting Rumble Tyme and Steel Tyme Trainer Targets react with every shot so you never need to leave the couch to keep shooting! When hit with a laser beam from the Trigger Tyme Revolver, the Rumble Tyme Target rumbles, rotates and radiates LED lights to celebrate; while the Steel Tyme Target brings the excitement of plinking steel targets to the comfort of home.
The included Trigger Tyme Laser Revolver mimics the size and feel of a real snub-nose Smith & Wesson® J-frame or Taurus® Model 85 revolver, giving shooters the most realistic dry-fire training experience with one of America’s favorite concealed carry firearms.
Immediate feedback of shot placement gives shooters of all ages and skills levels a fun and valuable training tool that can be safely used anytime, anywhere. Whether you shoot from the couch or draw from concealment, you’ll spend less time resetting the target and more time Laser Training!
LaserLyte Rumble & Steel Kit
LaserLyte TLB-RSK Package Specifications:
LaserLyte Rumble Tyme Laser Trainer Target:
– Activation: All LaserLyte Laser Trainers
– Batteries: 1 x 9V
– Battery Life: 6,000 Shots
– Material: High Impact ABS Polymer
– Weight: 6.40 ounces
– Diameter: 2.70 inches
– Height: 3.00 inches
LaserLyte Steel Tyme Laser Trainer Target:
– Activation: All LaserLyte Laser Trainers
– Batteries: 3 x AAA
– Battery Life: 6,000 Shots
– Material: High Impact ABS Polymer
– Weight: 5.60 ounces
– Height: 7.63 inches
– Width: 3.13 inches
– Depth: 1.25 inches
LaserLyte Trainer Trigger Tyme Revolver:
– Activation: Trigger activated
– Power Output: 650 NM, 5MW, Class IIIA
– Batteries: 3 x A76
– Battery Life: 50,000 shots
– Weight: 11 ounces
– Material: High-impact ABS polymer
– Length: 6.5 inches
– Width: 1.35 inches
– Height: 4.3 inches
– MSRP: $199.00 (entire kit) (less online)
About LaserLyte
LaserLyte®, the leader in laser technology for over 26 years. Our mission is to heighten the experience of shooting. Now LaserLyte offers a 3-year warranty for all products sold new, including products sold new up to three years ago. For additional information about LaserLyte, visit www.laserlyte.com. Keep up to date with LaserLyte on Facebook, Instagram and visit our YouTube page for all the LaserLyte action.
This post LaserLyte Rumble & Steel Laser Trainer Kit Offers Perfect Plinking Practice appeared first on AmmoLand.com Shooting Sports News .
via AmmoLand.com Shooting Sports News
LaserLyte Rumble & Steel Laser Trainer Kit Offers Perfect Plinking Practice
Gallery: US Army “Visual Signals” manual gets first update in 30 years
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Chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear attack.
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Message acknowledged.
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Air attack.
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Take a knee.
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Freeze.
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Number signals.
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Disperse
The first update in 30 years to the US Army “Visual Signals” (PDF) manual has just been issued. It’s filled with black-and-white sketches on how in-the-field soldiers can signal events to one another—from warning about a “nuclear hazard present” to “take a knee.” The military notes that, for the most part, the signals apply to “both men and women.”
Efficient combat operations depend on clear, accurate, and secure communication among ground units, Army aviation, and supporting Air Force elements. Control and coordination are achieved by the most rapid means of communication available between Soldiers and units. When electrical and/or digital means of communication are inadequate, or not available, a station-to-station system of visual communication is an alternate means for transmitting orders, information, or requests for aid or support.
The Army notes that the signals are not a panacea for when electronic communications run dry. For starters, they are “vulnerable to enemy interception,” and their effectiveness is “significantly reduced during periods of poor visibility, and when terrain restricts observation.”
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Stop, look, listen, smell.
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Out of action.
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Cease firing.
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Commence firing.
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Move platoon leader to the front.
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Danger area.
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Radio telephone operator forward.
Listing image by Visual Signals/US Army
via Ars Technica
Gallery: US Army “Visual Signals” manual gets first update in 30 years
Alien Gear Holsters is the Industry Leader in Concealed Carry Comfort
Post Falls, ID –-(Ammoland.com)- Alien Gear Holsters has added more comfort and durability to its latest concealed carry holster. To improve on the design of the Cloak Tuck 2.0, the Cloak Tuck 3.0 is designed with more neoprene and less hardware than ever before.
By reducing the hardware on the backside of the Cloak Tuck 3.0, the sweat-resistant neoprene delivers more comfort to every concealed carrier. This advancement helped the IWB holster claim the title of “Best Holster in the History of Ever” by readers of Concealed Nation, “Gear of the Year” by Gun Digest, and Editors’ Choice by American Rifleman.
The Cloak Tuck 3.0 is also stronger than its predecessors. Its holster clips are now made with premium engineered polymer, a tough and resilient proprietary material. This durable IWB Holster is also designed with a wear-resistant thermo-elastomer surface.
Alien Gear Holsters backs every holster with a 30-Day Test Drive, Forever Guarantee and free holster shell trades for life. The American-made Cloak Tuck 3.0 is available for just $43.88.
About Alien Gear Holsters
Founded in 2013, Alien Gear Holsters manufactures premium, incredibly comfortable holsters for concealed carry. Alien Gear Holsters are the most comfortable concealed carry holsters on the planet. Any planet. For more information about Alien Gear Holsters, visit http://ift.tt/OfqRpR.
This post Alien Gear Holsters is the Industry Leader in Concealed Carry Comfort appeared first on AmmoLand.com Shooting Sports News .
via AmmoLand.com Shooting Sports News
Alien Gear Holsters is the Industry Leader in Concealed Carry Comfort
You’re Probably Going to Get a Tick This Summer. Good Luck.
When you find that tick on yourself—or worse, on your kid or on a loved one’s hard-to-reach body part—don’t reach for the matches. Check out these six myths about ticks, so you’ll know what not to do.
Myth: You Should Remove a Tick With Chemicals or a Burnt Match
If a tick is attached to you, slowly sucking your blood, yanking the tick out with tweezers might mean you leave the head and mouthparts embedded in your skin. Ew. So you’ve probably heard that it’s best to get the tick to voluntarily let go. Unfortunately, that just makes things worse.
That means don’t burn a match, blow it out, and place the still-hot match on the tick’s abdomen. And don’t rub the tick with a harsh chemical like alcohol or nail polish remover until it lets go. These methods make the tick vomit up the blood they’ve already eaten, squirting it (along with saliva and possibly infectious germs) into your bloodstream.
Instead, try to grab the tick near the skin and pull it out from there. Don’t have the fortitude to execute such a precise maneuver with tweezers? The Tick Twister and Tick Key make the job almost foolproof. I have an insect/arachnid phobia that I can’t quite explain, but when my husband got a tick on his back recently, I was able to use the Tick Key to remove it without having to touch the tick or even look closely at it. You just slide the Tick Key over the disgusting, wiggly-legged lump, and off it pops.
Myth: Ticks Come From the Woods
You certainly can pick up a tick from the woods, but you’re also likely to find them in parks and backyards. Ticks bury themselves in damp soil or leaf litter, and climb up on grass or brush to wait for their prey (a deer, a mouse, or a squeamish human, for example.)
You can make your yard less of a tick haven by keeping your grass short, removing any rotten leaves or similar debris, and get rid of brush piles where mice like to live. Dogs and deer can spread ticks, too, so put some Frontline on your pup and try to fence out the deer if you can.
When you go to tick-prone areas, wear shoes that you’ve thoroughly sprayed with permethrin. This is an insecticide that is very safe for humans but stops ticks from crawling up your legs. Treat your favorite hiking boots, socks, and pants with the stuff; consider it for the shoes you use for yard work, too. To finish the job, spritz on a DEET-based spray whenever you head out to the backyard or park. It’s also safe when used properly, even for kids, and it will repel mosquitoes as well as ticks.
Myth: You Should Wear a Hat Because Ticks Drop Out of Trees
You may well find ticks in your hair, but they aren’t falling from the sky.
Remember, ticks spend their time in damp leaf litter so that they don’t dehydrate. When they’re ready to snag a meal, they don’t climb too far from the ground. They’ll go to about ankle or knee height, and hang off the edge of a twig or blade of grass with their legs extended. Entomologists, who probably think this is cute, call this behavior “questing.”
Once you brush against the tick, though, it’s on your body and all bets are off. The tick will climb up, up, up your pantleg, and you could find it anywhere. In one study, the lone star tick “favored the lower extremities [legs], buttocks, and groin” while blacklegged ticks didn’t care and would bite anywhere.
Ticks could be in your hair, in your beard, in your armpits, or where the sun don’t shine. They’re also very small, so you (or a very close friend) need to examine these areas carefully. Me, I just take a shower after I’ve been outside, and hope for the best.
Myth: If a Tick Bites You, You Probably Have Lyme Disease
It’s time for a little bit of good news. You probably don’t have Lyme disease.
First, although Lyme is common in more areas than it used to be, it’s still in just a small portion of the US. Most cases are in the northeast, from Virginia on up, with another swath in the Wisconsin-Minnesota area. If you live anywhere else, you’re much less likely to catch the disease at home.
Instead, you might get ehrlichiosis, babesiosis, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, or any of a variety of other tick-borne diseases. Each one has its own home range, so check with your local health department to see what they say you should worry about.
Even if the tick carries the Lyme disease bacteria, it doesn’t transmit them until it’s been attached and feeding for 36 to 48 hours. So if you know that tick wasn’t there yesterday, there’s a good chance you’re in the clear.
Myth: You Should Get That Tick Tested
We’ve told you in the past that if you find a tick, you should save it for testing. That depends, though. Back in 2010, my husband found an evil little tick sucking the life force out of my adorable dear infant son, and the pediatrician had us send the tick to be tested at the county health department. We rushed to do so, and the results came back negative. Phew.
But a few years later, another of our kids was bitten by a tick, and the doctor shrugged and told us testing was no longer recommended. Tick bites are fairly common these days, the tick can have Lyme without giving it to you, and you can get Lyme disease even if this particular tick wasn’t the one that did the deed. Check with your doctor to see if they agree with ours; this advice may vary.
By the way, a blood test for Lyme isn’t likely to help either. Instead, your provider will probably recommend watching for symptoms of Lyme disease—not just the famous bull’s eye rash, since it doesn’t always appear, but also flu-like symptoms, fatigue, and achiness. If you have any of these, with or without noticing a tick bite, call the doc. And if Lyme is common in your area, it’s possible your provider might want to treat you with a course of heavy duty antibiotics whether you show symptoms or not.
Myth: If You Get Lyme Disease, You’ll Have It for Life
There’s some truth to this one: If you had Lyme disease, and were already treated for it, you could still have fatigue and pain for months afterward. This happens because the disease damages parts of your body, and it can take a long time to recover from that even after antibiotics have killed the responsible bacteria.
But there is also a whole mythology around “chronic” Lyme disease, where people describe wide-ranging symptoms that they say are caused by hidden colonies of the bacteria. Click the wrong Google results while you’re recovering, and you’ll find yourself deep in a rabbit hole of conspiracy theories and alternative medicine clinics that say they have the real way to treat you, even though your doctor wants to hide the truth.
Probably some of the people with “chronic Lyme” have real autoimmune or neurological conditions that are going undiagnosed while they chase a fictional villain. If you end up with Lyme disease, don’t be afraid to seek help (or even second opinions), but do keep your wits about you. There’s a lot of myths out there.
via Lifehacker
You’re Probably Going to Get a Tick This Summer. Good Luck.
Watch a near-pristine Apple I boot up and run a program
Glenn and Shannon Dellimore own at least two original Apple I computers built in 1976 by Steve Wozniak, Dan Kottke, and Steve Jobs. The couple recently purchased one of the computers at auction for $365,000 and then lent it to London’s Victoria and Albert Museum for an exhibition. The hand-built machine is in such good condition that they were able to boot it up and run a simple program.
The superlative rarity of an Apple-1 in this condition is corroborated by this machine’s early history.The owner, Tom Romkey, owned the “Personal Computer Store” in Florida, and was certified as an Apple level 1 technician in 1981. One day, a customer came into his shop and traded in his Apple-1 computer for a brand new NCR Personal Computer. The customer had only used the Apple-1 once or twice, and Mr. Romkey set it on a shelf, and did not touch it again.
The Apple I was the first modern personal computer: the whole thing fit on just one board and used the familiar keyboard/monitor input and output.
By early 1976, Steve Wozniak had completed his 6502-based computer and would display enhancements or modifications at the bi-weekly Homebrew Computer Club meetings. Steve Jobs was a 21 year old friend of Wozniak’s and also a visitor at the Homebrew club. He had worked with Wozniak in the past (together they designed the arcade game “Breakout” for Atari) and was very interested in his computer. During the design process Jobs made suggestions that helped shape the final product, such as the use of the newer dynamic RAMs instead of older, more expensive static RAMs. He suggested to Wozniak that they get some printed circuit boards made for the computer and sell it at the club for people to assemble themselves. They pooled their financial resources together to have PC boards made, and on April 1st, 1976 they officially formed the Apple Computer Company. Jobs had recently worked at an organic apple orchard, and liked the name because “he thought of the apple as the perfect fruit — it has a high nutritional content, it comes in a nice package, it doesn’t damage easily — and he wanted Apple to be the perfect company. Besides, they couldn’t come up with a better name.”
In other words, Woz invented the Apple computer, but Jobs invented Apple Computer. Here’s a longer video of another working Apple I:
This one is also in great condition, although it’s been restored and some of the original parts have been replaced. If you’d like to play around with your own Apple I without spending hundreds of thousands of dollars at an auction, I would recommend buying a replica kit or trying out this emulator written in Javascript. (thx, chris)
Tags: Apple computing Dan Kottke Glenn Dellimore Shannon Dellimore Steve Jobs Steve Wozniak
via kottke.org
Watch a near-pristine Apple I boot up and run a program
The Game Is On in This Incredible Game of Thrones Season Seven Promo
The first promo for the new season of Game of Thrones is here, and kings and queens and guillotines are ready to take some lives. Only stop, it’s Winter Time.
Game of Thrones comes back this summer with its penultimate season, and our three major players are set to make their next move. Queen Cersei has taken over the Seven Kingdoms, but Jon Snow is poised to reclaim the North, and Daenerys has creeped into Westeros and staked her claim on Dragonstone, the former Targaryen throne. But these power plays won’t mean shit when the White Walkers come barging in. This season is setting up to be something truly special.
Game of Thrones returns July 16.
[YouTube]
via Gizmodo
The Game Is On in This Incredible Game of Thrones Season Seven Promo