A Weakened AMOC = A Colder Northern Europe

It looks like my winter exercise program will continue to consist of moving increasing amounts of fresh snow. Skiing to the local store in Mosvik (7 km) or Straumen (13 km) is another option.

The reason for this prediction is that the Gulf Stream aka Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC), carries warm water north-eastwards towards Europe and beyond. In the arctic it cools, becomes denser and sinks, and then flows back southwards, along the Atlantic coast of North America. Now, global warming is reducing the cooling effect, while melting Greenland ice is diluting and weakening the current.

New research (see sources below) shows the current is now 15% weaker than around 400AD, with human-caused global warming being a major contributor to this. Human-caused global warming? That is a polite term for the burning of fossil-fuels, which increases the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere. The consequences of more CO2 could be disastrous.  During the last ice age, changes in AMOC led to 5-10C winter temperature reductions in as short a time as one to three years. This had major consequences then and could have major consequences now.

Recent (black) and maximum (grey) glaciation of the northern hemisphere during the Quaternary climatic cycles. (Illustration: Hannes Grobes, 2008)

Sources

Popular: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/apr/11/critical-gulf-stream-current-weakest-for-1600-years-research-finds

Scientific: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-018-0007-4 and https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-018-0006-5

 

The first rule of working from home: never wear pyjamas

Today’s Guardian offers insight into what to wear when working from home. Anything but pyjamas, appears to be the answer, but you can read the article itself here: https://www.theguardian.com/fashion/2018/apr/11/rules-working-from-home-never-wear-pyjamas

This article had such emotional appeal to me, that I felt compelled to offer the following comment:

I have a 20m (60 foot) commute from the house to the workshop (converted garage). This requires that I dress. A few months ago I bought new glasses, with red frames! Now, almost my entire work wardrobe is red from a toque (winter) or baseball cap (summer) down. The last item I put on is my lab-coat complete with embroidered name tag. It is a bit difficult to mention this in front of a bunch of fashionistas, such as yourselves, but I have a couple of areas where colour-coordination has failed me. My safety-shoes are dark blue. Fortunately, they are so old and worn that the metal shows through. The same also applies to my hearing protection which is signal yellow. Yes, I know that this is a bit off topic, but ask forgiveness for mentioning that the workshop itself is OSB, painted white. Most of the stationary machines are signal blue, while more portable machines are signal red. My 60 cm x 40 cm desk is signal yellow.

NAFTA’s effect on diet

Has NAFTA, the North American Free Trade Agreement, contributed to Canadian obesity? Barlow et al, in a 2017 paper, suggest it has. Before NAFTA, which was adopted in 1994, Canada had a tariff of 5 percent on high-fructose corn syrup. Under NAFTA, Canada agreed to phase out that tariff, while maintaining tariffs on sugar- and beet-based syrups such as fructose, maltose, glucose and molasses. After the agreement was put in place a years-long decline in total sugar consumption ended, with a shift from liquid sweeteners such as maltose and molasses to corn syrup, a high-fructose sweetener linked to obesity. When high-fructose tariffs dropped, consumption grew: from 21.2 calories of corn syrup per day in 1994 to 62.9 calories per day by 1998. Because tariff reductions make food ingredients cheaper, irrespective of their nutritional qualities, lower prices encourage manufacturers to use more of those ingredients.

The researchers found that consumption stayed flat on those protected sweeteners, but spiked for high-fructose corn syrup. Countries that are economically similar to Canada but not in NAFTA such as Australia and the U.K. did not see a similar effect.

In an interview with the Washington Post, Barlow stated that the connection between free-trade agreements and health has not been well-studied. To date, most research on globalization and nutrition has examined the effects of foreign direct investment: how consumption patterns change when multinational food companies begin producing and advertising in new markets. In trade negotiations NAFTA has often been used as a blueprint. The research leading to the article is an opportunity to think about who benefits from them and who loses, and to construct them to promote health and wellness.

Those interested in this topic are encouraged to read the original research article:

Pepita Barlow, Martin McKee, Sanjay Basu and David Stuckler Impact of the North American Free Trade Agreement on high-fructose corn syrup supply in Canada: a natural experiment using synthetic control methods July 04, 2017 189 (26) E881-E887; DOI: https://doi.org/10.1503/cmaj.161152 See: http://www.cmaj.ca/content/cmaj/189/26/E881.full.pdf

The Washington Post article, includes references to other research studies. Caitlin Dewey, How free trade can make you fat, July 11, 2017: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2017/07/11/how-free-trade-can-make-you-fat/?

Barbara Ehrenreich

Barbara Ehrenreich, 2 March 2018 at her home in Alexandria, Virginia. (Photo: Stephen Voss, for the Guardian)

Barbara Ehrenreich is one of my favourite authors. She has written (at least) three important works: Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By In America (2001);Welcome to Cancerland (2001) ; and, Natural Causes: An Epidemic of Wellness, the Certainty of Dying, and Killing Ourselves to Live Longer (2018).

Cancerland can be found here: https://web.archive.org/web/20131108181820/http://www.barbaraehrenreich.com/cancerland.htm .

To research Nickel and Dimed, Ehrenreich engaged in a three-month experiment surviving on minimum wage as a waitress, hotel maid, house cleaner, nursing-home aide, and Wal-Mart clerk.  Her book reports on the difficulties low wage workers face, including hidden costs for shelter and food. The work requires a wide variety of attributes, including stamina, focus, memory, quick thinking, and fast learning. Workers risk repetitive stress injury, have degrading and uninteresting tasks, and have to deal with managers who demeaned and interfered with productivity.

In Cancerland, she described a breast cancer cult, which “serves as an accomplice in global poisoning — normalizing cancer, prettying it up, even presenting it, perversely, as a positive and enviable experience.”

In 2014, at an age of 72, Ehrenreich realized that she was old enough to die. She did not want to waste the time on preventive medical tests or restricting her diet in pursuit of a longer life. She would seek help for a health issue, but would not look for problems. A wellness industry, a cult of mindfulness and food fads elude people into believing that we are in control of our bodies. But with her Ph.D. in cellular immunology Ehrenreich argues that this is not so. The immune systems can promote rather than prevent the spread of cancer cells.

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2018/apr/07/barbara-ehrenreich-natural-causes-book-old-enough-to-die

 

Gender Neutrality

Hello Amig@s!

Gender neutrality, or rather the lack thereof, is a troubling aspect of our times, showing that modern humans are not really that advanced. I found this paragraph when looking up “at sign” on Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/At_sign

“In Portuguese and Spanish, where many words end in “-o” when in the masculine gender and end “-a” in the feminine, @ is sometimes used as a gender-neutral substitute for the default “o” ending. For example, the word amigos traditionally represents not only male friends, but also a mixed group, or where the genders are not known. The proponents of gender-inclusive language would replace it with amig@s in these latter two cases, and use amigos only when the group referred to is all-male – and amigas only when the group is all female. The Real Academia Española disapproves of this usage.”

Perhaps @ needs to become the 28th letter of the Spanish alphabet. (The 27th is Ñ.)

While English lacks grammatical gender, it still has a pronominal gender system. I am trying to use s/he more often to  refer to people more inclusively, but have not found a shortcut method for her and him. I note that many others are using a  gender-neutral singular “they”.

Operating System Problem Solutions

Today, I faced a challenge with Linux Mint on one of my computers. I received a message informing me that my boot partition was full. I surfed the net to find solutions and ended up with a fix in the form of a script that seemed appropriate.

I applied it. After about 5 minutes I could reboot. The boot folder then showed only the latest kernel.

That was nice, this one time. So what do I do when this, or some other problem re-emerges? I don’t really have enough problems to store them in a database. Thus, I decided to use a more basic fix, a LibreOffice Writer file.

This file lists practical solutions to problems that arise with Linux Mint.

Problem: Boot partition is full
Documentation: https://forums.linuxmint.com/viewtopic.php?t=256436
Solution: copy and paste the following in the terminal

OLDCONF=$(dpkg -l|grep “^rc”|awk ‘{print $2}’)
CURKERNEL=$(uname -r|sed ‘s/-*[a-z]//g’|sed ‘s/-386//g’)
LINUXPKG=”linux-(image|headers|ubuntu-modules|restricted-modules)”
METALINUXPKG=”linux-(image|headers|restricted-modules)-(generic|i386|server|common|rt|xen)”
OLDKERNELS=$(dpkg -l|awk ‘{print $2}’|grep -E $LINUXPKG |grep -vE $METALINUXPKG|grep -v $CURKERNEL)
YELLOW=”\033[1;33m”
RED=”\033[0;31m”
ENDCOLOR=”\033[0m”
sudo apt-get purge $OLDKERNELS

End: Boot partition is full

When the next problem arises, it will also use the same format. A problem statement, that is a short description, followed by a link to somewhere for more detailed information. Then comes the solution as applied, followed by an end statement so that one knows where the problem ends.

New site with both old and new content

Welcome to this new site for blogs written by Brock McLellan, the one living in Vangshylla, Norway, not the one living in Michigan.

Unsurprisingly, nobody was able to distinguish the content from the three blogs from each other, not even me. This site has imported content from these, and merged them chronologically. These are:  Brock at Cliff Cottage: brockmclellan.wordpress.org; Unit One: unitwon.wordpress.org; and, Design Needs, Seeds & Weeds: designeeds.wordpress.org

Brock

Dewey-free library classification

In 2007, the Maricopa County Library District announced that its Gilbert Library would abandon Dewey Decimal Classification (DDC) in favor of the Book Industry Standards and Communications system of classification system (BISAC). The library district reported the change as a success, with non-fiction circulation increasing six fold.

BISAC is one of many Dewey-free classification systems. Instead of using numerical notation to indicate a document’s shelving location, Dewey-free systems organize documents alphabetically using natural language words. This is because many patrons find numbers intimidating. When words replace numbers, browsing increases. In 1998 Los Angeles librarian Steve Coffman proposed using a “bookstore model” to deliver library services. It can be argued that book store customers, as well as library patrons, are more comfortable with words, than with numbers.

One problem with DDC is that it organizes documents first by academic discipline, and then by topic, leading to materials on the same subject being shelved in different locations. This creates problems for non-academic as well as interdisciplinary works. My feeling is that DDC is WASP-centric. The list of categories marginalized is overwhelming, but includes developing countries, non-Christian religions, non-white races, non-male sexes, non-hetero sexual orientations. Of course, BISAC is in many ways no better. Inclusion requires effort.

Both DDC and BISAC are economic engines. They both want to extract money from libraries using their systems.

Personally, one of the main problems I experience with DCC, is its ability to handle Baha’i materials. An interesting history of classification at the World Centre in Haifa, can be found here. In addition, information about the “Phoenix Schedule” by Paul Gerard can be found here.

In our personal library system, I cannot imagine abandoning DDC, because of the enormous cost that would entail, especially in terms of time. Changing to a new system would require the cataloguer (Patricia), and and patrons (myself and our children), to learn new categories. This would require not just training, but numerous decisions about cataloguing rules. Despite this, there would still be exceptions, as no classification system can provide descriptions of everything.

Since all four of our library staff and patrons have university education, and are all reasonably proficient with numbers, DDCs use of numbers does not present a problem. The main challenge that can arise, is that a topic is stored under one discipline, rather than another.

At the same time I note that at least one of our local public libraries (Verdal) is supplementing its DCC call numbers, with word-based shelf descriptions. Yes, books with divergent DCC numbers are allowed to occupy the same time shelf!

Authority Control: An aside

Looking up Steve Coffman, I discovered that there are at least two authors, probably three, with the same name. There is one Steve Coffman who wrote: Chicken Justice: And Other Unexpected Lessons in Country Living; Another who co-authored, Establishing a Virtual Reference Service. I also suspect that the author of A Simple Guide to Glass Insulator Collecting is a third Steve Coffman.

Authority control requires cataloguers to assign each subject (author, book, organization or corporation) a unique identifier which must then be used consistently, uniquely, and unambiguously for all references to that same subject, even if there are variations such as different spellings, pen names, or aliases. It helps researchers track a specific subject with less effort, and provides more predictable search results.

iGoogle

The one extinguished Alphabet program that I actually miss is iGoogle. It was a dashboard for Google services launched in 2005. For several years, I used a personalized version of it as my homepage. It allowed widgets to be pinned. I had weather summaries in the assorted areas where my family lived: Inderøy, Vancouver, Bergen, San Francisco, Umeå, Essex County and Kamloops, to name a few.  In addition, I had RSS readers from these same areas so that I could keep track of local news. Google eliminated the product in November 2013.  Its so-called replacement, Google+, never filled the same niche.

Yes, I still miss iGoogle. Stored away, I still have copies of some of the graphics. Unfortunately, I lacked the vision of Robert Dall, and neglected to take a screen shot of my iGoogle home page, so it exists only in my mind.

goodbye-igoogle
Robert Dall, in his blog of 15 March 2013, wrote, “I made good use of the services offered to me via iGoogle and will be sad to see them go. RSS feeds on the left, weather in the centre. Translators on the right.” (photo: robertdall.com)

I have tried to find alternatives to iGoogle, but have never been happy with the result. Protopage turned out to be mainly a RSS feed, but lacked many of the other components that worked on iGoogle. IgHome turned out to be better, but not actually good enough that I have used it, although I am reconsidering using it.

This post was prompted by an email I received today 30 March 2018, from LastPass, informing me that they will be shutting down Xmarks from 1 May 2018. Xmarks, formerly Foxmarks, was a San Francisco-based company which produced a Firefox add-on. When the service expanded to include other web browsers, the name was changed to Xmarks. The company was founded in 2006 by Mitch Kapor and was acquired by LastPass in December 2010. At the time of the LastPass acquisition, there was also discussion of shutting it down. I used it from about its start in 2006 until March 2017.

Because the same bookmark synchronizing services are now built into Firefox, there is not the same need for Xmarks. Despite this, a product that I used for over ten year will still be missed.

Open Source CAD systems for electronics

Wikipedia lists 17 FOSS (Free & Open Source Software) projects for electronic design automation (EDA): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_EDA_software . Of these only three offer versions for the big three, Windows, Mac OS and Linux operating systems. The two main contenders are Fritzing and KiCad. Both have a slightly different orientation. The third, LibrePCB ( http://librepcb.org/ ) will not be discussed further because it is “… currently under heavy development to bring out first stable releases as soon as possible.”

Fritzing

Fritzing
Fritzing has all the parts needed to work with Raspberry Pi, Arduino and Node MCU’s
(Photo: Fearby.com)

Fritzing is more for amateur/ hobby designers transitioning from prototype experimentation to building more permanent circuits. It was developed at the Interaction Design Lab at the Fachhochschule Potsdam, with version 0.0.4 coming out in 2007. As this is being written in March 2017, the current version is 0.9.3b from June 2016.

My experience with Fritzing is related to its use with the Arduino microcontroller. It provides a system for project documentation, where one can start with a conceptual design (using the schematic view) or simply build a prototype on a breadboard (using the protoboard view). From either of these, a printed circuit board layout can be created (using the PCB view). Among the standard board designs provided are Arduino shields and Raspberry Pi Hats (Hardware attached on top). Fritzing can be regarded as an EDA for non-engineers. PCBs can only consist of up to two layers (top and bottom). However, it does include a customizable design rule checker. Its website allows users to share and discuss their experiences. There is a code view option, which allows one to access, modify and upload code to an Arduino device.

One of the challenges with Fritzing is its Vendor lock-in. Its fabrication service, fab.fritzing.org, forces people into using Aisler, which appears to be a German high-tech startup. Even if the people at Aisler are pleasant enough, and have improved on the PCB builds previously offered, including lower prices and higher quality, the result is still vendor lock-in.

KiCad

olinuxino
A64-OLinuXino is a single-board computer running Linux & Android. The design based on a 64-bit ARM CPU and includes 1 or 2 GB DDR3 RAM, 4 GB flash memory, microSD card socket, WiFi & BLE4.0, Ethernet, HDMI & audio output. (photo: Olimex)

KiCad is a more mature product, that was originally created in 1992 by Jean-Pierre Charras while working at Instituts universitaires de technologie de Grenoble. Since then KiCad has gained a number of both volunteer and paid contributors. Since 2013, CERN (Conseil Européen pour la Recherche Nucléaire) has contributed resources towards KiCad to improve KiCad so that it is equal to commercial EDA tools.

KiCad version 4.0.0. was released in December 2015. This was the first version with advanced tools provided by CERN developers. There are five main parts to KiCad: 1) KiCad, the project manager window; 2) Eeschema, the schematics and components editor. This also contains 3) CvPcb, a footprint selector helper that runs from Eeschema. 4) Pcbnew, is a circuit board layout and footprint editor;  5) GerbView, the Gerber file viewer, is an important feature because many other EDA programs do not offer this ability. There are also three utilities, the PL Editor, the page layout editor; the IDF Exporter, that exports an IDFv3 compliant board (.emn) and library (.emp) file for communicating mechanical dimensions to a mechanical CAD package;  and the KiCad Plugin, a new plugin system to handle 3D models. Note: this is not currently available in KiCad 4.

Where to begin

The electronic hobbyist that focuses on Arduino or Raspberry Pi may find it easier to begin with Fritzing. In fact, if they have no objection to paying more for PCBs, they may opt to stay there. It is only if they have a need for PCBs with more than two layers that they need to go over to KiCad.

Others may opt to begin with KiCad, and its components, despite a steeper learning curve.  Documentation is provided in nine different languages, and three different formats (html, pdf and epub): http://kicad-pcb.org/help/documentation Getting Started, provides an essential and concise guide to mastering KiCad. Several text-based as well as video-based tutorials have been prepared by KiCad users. See: http://kicad-pcb.org/help/tutorials/

Over the next few weeks, I will begin learning about KiCad, with A KiCad Quick-Start Tutorial by Windsor Schmidt (~20 m), followed by a video series by Ashley Mills, that shows how to build a board from scratch (12 parts ~300 m). After this I will consider watching further videos by Chris Gammell (7 parts ~150 m).