August 21 2017, 10:59

You might be aware that Microsoft decided to remove the Windows Movie Maker from its free software offerings, and since January 2017, it hasn’t been possible to download and install it on Windows 10. Eventually, I installed it, but it took me several hours to find the offline installer package, as the online installer no longer works.

But Movie Maker is quite limited and lacks many basic features. For instance, you can’t insert a slide into the middle of an already created video such that the sound continues uninterrupted, not to mention picture-in-picture. I’ve tried several different free packages, and so far, I’m very pleased with the VSDC Video Editor. I’m promoting it just because it’s a decent product, with many professional features and seems to be completely free. Second place goes to OpenShot video editor. It’s much simpler but still better than WMM. http://www.openshot.org/

http://www.videosoftdev.com/ru/free-video-editor

August 21 2017, 02:28

To become a strong chess player, I started doing push-ups. Using the “Brazilian system” (c) Yeralash

I am conducting an experiment “make yourself play better”. For several weeks now, Liza and I have been playing chess daily, around 2-4 games. Our strengths are about equal, and I wanted to add some excitement to the process.

Rule â„–1. If I lose, I do five times more push-ups than the last time I lost. If I win, nothing happens, we just start a new game (or not). Thus, the number of push-ups increases at a certain pace, but always grows.

Rule â„–2. If I don’t have enough strength for the next set of push-ups, I can stop, rest, and continue, but for each stop, there’s a penalty of +5 push-ups.

Rule â„–3. After some N, when it’s evident that I won’t be able to do so many push-ups even with breaks (and this moment will inevitably come), the number of push-ups is halved, but now for each of my wins, it can be reduced by some agreed number. By that time, we’ll realize what’s needed to keep up the thrill, to make it sporty, interesting, and beneficial.

We started with 10 push-ups, now I’ve “played down” to 30 (meaning, I’ve lost 4 times), the reserve until N still seems decent, but losing is already “painful”). If I “blow” the next game, it will be 35. Liza’s motivation to win is clear – to count out loud 🙂

Actually, on the video – my penultimate defeat)

August 20 2017, 12:16

Here’s who climbed out from the ocean depths onto the beach with four eyes (the swordtail, the most ancient of known species today, by the way)

Interesting:

“…If you’ve ever had any kind of vaccination, your life may well owe thanks to the North American horseshoe crab (Limulus polyphemus). An extract from the blood of this creature—known as ‘limulus amoebocyte lysate’, or LAL—is used in the pharmaceutical industry to test drugs, vaccines, and medical devices such as artificial kidneys, to ensure they are free of dangerous microbes. No other test works as simply and reliably. The horseshoe crab lives on the seabed in shallow waters, which are often polluted. A liter of seawater from such an area can contain over a trillion toxic bacteria. The horseshoe crab has no immune system and cannot produce antibodies to fight infections. Instead, its blood contains a miracle ingredient that blocks invasive viruses and bacteria by clotting around them. It is this property that is utilized in the production of LAL. To determine whether something intended for medical use is contaminated or not, it just needs to be exposed to LAL: if it does not clot, then all is well. Unlike human blood, horseshoe crab blood does not contain hemoglobin, where iron is the oxygen-carrying agent; instead, it has hemocyanin, which uses copper, making their blood blue. It sells for $15,000 per liter.”

August 18 2017, 17:48

Why has no one come up with the concept of mobile hotels on wheels yet? Here’s the idea.

Essentially, it’s a container with furniture inside that integrates with adjacent containers. Each container, or unit, can be moved and connected to another location. The façade is quick to erect and dismantle, to conceal the wheels and cabins. During the summer, the peak demand season, such structures could be erected in deserted areas close to the coast (up to “within walking distance”). Different units have different prices. Combined units are more expensive.

Further. The units are built according to a standard project to be compatible with each other. Interior design, furniture, materials, and appliances can vary from unit to unit. In the low season, units move to areas where demand is higher. Each unit can have its own owner. They can choose to have it managed by the company that moves them, or they might manage it through a single mobile hotel. The hotel thus rents units from companies that move them or directly from the owner. Both the owner and the companies that move the units try to find a hotel that will pay more. And the hotel tries to fill the units to remain profitable. Overall, the situation is similar to that with railway cars.

The service is provided by the hotel. The unit owner only rents out/serves as a “renovated room” and “the furniture inside it”. In one hotel, all rooms might be completely different – but when someone books a room, they choose a specific unit.