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phdhorn

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Everything posted by phdhorn

  1. Agreed. Barring some unexpected new development, this story has more or less run its course. It's pretty much done except for continuing as a local story.
  2. All right, which one of you SOB's left the cloak room gate unlocked again?
  3. 1) See post #1925 above. 2) Real picture of real caves: 3) Cornelius and Zira found a talking ape doll 30 feet down in the cave on the right, but Dr. Zaius blew it up inside.
  4. Clear-up: 1) There are caves in Bee Cave, and bees used them a lot. Not sure about now, but likely some. 2) The road name still leads to confusion, because whatever the official name is, both exist. On GoogMaps, it's Caves. However: I haven't looked lately, but in my experience the majority of road signs are singular (this sign 360 going N @ 2244). My thinking is old style is plural, but lately it's matched up with the town name. Bee Cave in 1995 had 128 people. Now it's got over 5,000. So I guess they decided to eliminate confusion or just hate "S"es, or probably saved like $65 billion to eliminate the "S" from road signs. 3) The town name is singular, never has been plural.
  5. I mean, most of the time they can tell you when/where it's gonna rain 3-4 hours, never mind 90 minutes before it does by looking at the radar. But of course what they can't do is account for showers/storms popping up/building from nothing. If this model can do that, it's a step forward (but not sure).
  6. Granted, 90 minutes isn't exactly "thanks so I can plan my weekend" but I'd expect it to telescope out eventually. Better than nuthin'.
  7. So maybe they'll crack the "exactly where and when" on rain forecasting after all? This is pretty cool, from the Brits: DeepMind’s AI predicts almost exactly when and where it’s going to rain (excerpt) First protein folding, now weather forecasting: London-based AI firm DeepMind is continuing its run applying deep learning to hard science problems. Working with the Met Office, the UK’s national weather service, DeepMind has developed a deep-learning tool called DGMR that can accurately predict the likelihood of rain in the next 90 minutes—one of weather forecasting’s toughest challenges. In a blind comparison with existing tools, several dozen experts judged DGMR’s forecasts to be the best across a range of factors—including its predictions of the location, extent, movement, and intensity of the rain—89% of the time. The results were published in a Nature paper today. https://www.technologyreview.com/2021/09/29/1036331/deepminds-ai-predicts-almost-exactly-when-and-where-its-going-to-rain/ Pretty soon I won't be needed and I'll have to forfeit the $200K per year salary do do weather here. But this is mondo cool anyway, if it even gets it right half of the time.
  8. Maybe not. There has been a good amt. of research on this, and there are two strains: the slightly more dominant strain thinks that the human body cannot live past 150 years in any anticipated "medical improvement" no matter what (though 150 is a good run). They've said that cell physiology cannot be extended beyond this mark, ever. The other strain says that through a number of separate process life could be extended "indefinitely", although the actual means are almost completely theoretical right now, and there are no (known, China holla!) programs to concentrate research on this particular field (most of regenerative science is funded towards replacing limbs/organs). One central theory (right now) of this "immortality" idea is that at the very least, the "immortal" would need a series of hundreds of adjustments, and even artificial organs... eventually the "immortal" would be so reconstructed so as to arguably not be that "same person" but a new construct (Six Million Dollar Man meets. Robocop). The idea that one lil' injection or pill (or any singular event) will produce unlimited life for humans right now is so remote, not to mention the ethical controversy, that I doubt any serious research would even begin over the next 50 years at least. No doubt in the distant future though they'd figure something out. The only question is "what is it" that's living ages and ages. As for the more immediate future, again, there is some research about increasing lifespan to that "magical" 150 upper limit, but right now all the research is doing is prolonging the eldest years, when people are broken down so much so that living itself is difficult. Who'd want more of that? Whether they can extend the proportion of "prime of life" conditions has not yet occurred, and seems to be a long way off. But it's a pretty interesting topic - Frankenstein got into it in the 30's, anyway.
  9. Well, maybe she was pissed off and they didn't speak to each other while they were camping together. It could happen!! We know that's an honest, forthright family so I believe her.
  10. I'm just waiting for here for pix posted of Dog's 2nd wife, Sammy Hagar, to get weather balloon implants. Uh, on second thought, maybe I'm not waiting for those pix!
  11. Huh? TxDOT routinely builds standard lanes from 16' to 18' nowadays (why would they make a law with an exception that is not an exception??). Nevertheless, I'm 100% certain of this law, have had it discussed many times, even back as a kid in another state. Most U.S. states have this type of speed law, and Texas clearly does. In any case get out of it what you want. I'm only posting here for others to know the law, not to go back/forth. Chances are you'll not have to "test" your interpretation (I hope not). But those bikers who insist that they have the exact same rights to the road as motorized vehicles (if so, why would we even need these laws?) and hold up traffic, good for them. They can do that, but they can also get a horn up their ass- and they often do.
  12. This is pretty clear. That's the rule, not the exceptions which you included, and it applies to all cyclists, tandem or not ("a person" is singular). Rule (4) only applies to narrow roads, and there are a lot of them where cyclists ride but in general the great majority of roads with vehicular traffic aren't those. This is definitely the law. A cyclist cannot ride two abreast, nor in the middle of a lane (even if solo), unless they can ride at the normal speed of traffic, with those exceptions in the code.
  13. Another brief update: Good news is that the rain did come in of course. Pretty much everyone got it in ATX region, and almost equally, and a lot. For ACL this means that the atmosphere has been kind of stabilized, so rain is probably not going to happen for at least the first few hours of it. The maybe bad news is that if it remains sunny, no question with all this moisture and the big low still in the 4 corners that it'll spin another trigger this afternoon and with the sun doing its job, I'd expect a flareup at the typical time (later afternoon or evening). Key is watch the radar for stuff to start forming west, although with this low it could "blow up" nearer to us. I'd say chances of another soaking are about 60% right now. But I think daytime ACL at least will be okay. We'll see, be back if anything of interest happens.
  14. This is the key. I posted the law a few pages back, which clearly states that unless the cyclists can keep up "reasonable and normal" speed with the rest of traffic, they're not allowed to ride 2 abreast, and must get to the very right side (or very left is ok if there is > 1 one-way lane) and allow vehicles to pass, and those vehicles aren't required to change lanes. They're not entitled to an entire lane unless the road is very narrow (about < 14 ft.). The law is quite clear that bikes are allowed to share the road with motor vehicles, but not equally in most cases, unless they can keep up speed at all times with the normal flow of traffic. Check back to my post or look up TTC Sec. 551.103, esp. (a) and (c).
  15. Brief update: Seems like the focus of the heaviest rain has shifted a bit NW of us overnight, and radar is showing that. Of course storms could easily build/move SE to ATX and drop a lot of rain and some potent storms, but chances are down to about 40%. If this happens, then my post above referring to a less stable atmosphere on Friday will win out (as I was sort of leaning). If true, then Friday will start fairly dry, maybe even some sun, and it could last well into midday. However, if that happens, I'd say it's almost a sure thing that sun heating will cause storms to build after about 4-5. ACL seems to be okay for the first half, then touch/go for the evening. Not sure what they'd do if lightning happens, but it might. If we do end up getting soaked tonight, I still think Friday will have rain, but not as much, and not "frontal squall" potent thunderstorms. Back tomorrow morning to check the radar.
  16. Update: I'm lazy, of course. I mean, who isn't - or shouldn't be? Hard work is useless and takes years off your life. Otherwise, models/forecasters are drawing sides. One is the "gonna rain all the same" and the other is "maybe not so much." Yeah, shockingly rare, I know. Nevertheless, they're all betting on whether the air is gonna be washed out by tonight's almost-certain repeat of overnight Tuesday's weather, in both intensity and amounts, and therefore give us a stable (little/no rain) Friday for the most part. Models are sputtering. Of course will we get another beatdown tonight is yet another question. The "it's gonna still rain a lot" side is still winning, but it's no longer a landslide. NWS is still kind of sticking to their guns of more than less rain, but then they put this in at the 10 a.m. forecast: The forecast for Friday is highly dependent on what occurs tonight. Should the storms exit our area to the east, then much less shower and thunderstorm activity would be expected. However, expect the showers and thunderstorms will decrease late tonight into early Friday. This confusing statement is saying what I said... "If showers move out [quickly and rain is brief] ← (they should have used this phrase!!) tonight, then the atmosphere won't be worked over tomorrow as much, and rain is more probable. Nevertheless, expect showers to move out eventually." Talk about CYA, must've taken hours of intense study to come up with that. So not much help there. But still, give'em a break. So the best CYA answer is "we really won't know until we see the radar starting Fri. morning." My "open to the public" answer is that I'm leaning towards more than less rain on Friday. Not a total washout, but 1) there's LOTSA moisture coming up from the Gulf; 2) we have a frontal boundary near us; 3) the Jet is moving almost right above us, and 4) Good Ol' Mr. Sunshine will do his diurnal thing tomorrow and heat up the atmosphere. So I'd expect less rain until maybe later after lunch, then periods of showers. I would be surprised if ACL went through Friday dry. Saturday still looks pretty wet, hasn't changed - yet anyway. My "premium insider lock it in answer" is reserved for subscribers. $149.95 per month. But you also get my thoughts on UT football. PayPal or Afghanis (that is really the name of their currency, too) accepted. Back later because I'm sure this will change and I'll be wrong somewhere. But I'm happy widdit right now.
  17. ... and almost certainly both of these are illegal. Most states (including Texas) have laws that say, "yeah you're entitled to the same road as motor vehicles, but only if you're keeping up speed with them." If you can't, then you're supposed to be as far to the right (or can be to the left on a two-lane same direction) as possible, with the assumption that faster vehicles have the right of way and they expect you to make room for them to pass you, unless impossible." And there are some exceptions, and I'm sure some slick legal work could get some slowpokes out of a fine or whatever, but yeah, 15 people riding in the middle of a lane going 20 in a 45 mph speed limit is violating the law. If you can't keep up with traffic at all times (not just down hills), you have to get to the right (or left in the case I mentioned), single file, allowing motor vehicles. Sec. 551.103. OPERATION ON ROADWAY. (a) Except as provided by Subsection (b), a person operating a bicycle on a roadway who is moving slower than the other traffic on the roadway shall ride as near as practicable to the right curb or edge of the roadway, unless: (1) the person is passing another vehicle moving in the same direction; (2) the person is preparing to turn left at an intersection or onto a private road or driveway; (3) a condition on or of the roadway, including a fixed or moving object, parked or moving vehicle, pedestrian, animal, or surface hazard prevents the person from safely riding next to the right curb or edge of the roadway; or (4) the person is operating a bicycle in an outside lane that is: (A) less than 14 feet in width and does not have a designated bicycle lane adjacent to that lane; or (B) too narrow for a bicycle and a motor vehicle to safely travel side by side. (b) A person operating a bicycle on a one-way roadway with two or more marked traffic lanes may ride as near as practicable to the left curb or edge of the roadway. (c) Persons operating bicycles on a roadway may ride two abreast. Persons riding two abreast on a laned roadway shall ride in a single lane. Persons riding two abreast may not impede the normal and reasonable flow of traffic on the roadway. Persons may not ride more than two abreast unless they are riding on a part of a roadway set aside for the exclusive operation of bicycles.
  18. I doubt it. Rain is gone till at least tomorrow afternoon. I've been struck by lightning, hasn't everyone?
  19. We had a healthy rain here, but not like much of ATX. Got about 1.25". Our low water crossing wasn't even running high (just puddles).
  20. Doesn't that usually go off about mid-afternoon? I think it'll be okay by then, just depends on the speed of the system moving out.
  21. Update: Not much change to the forecast, Round 1 did its job. The only change from my post yesterday is that the systems are moving slower than at first, so the 2nd system will move in late Thursday, not late tonight. Today rain still lingers, but the sun should actually come out afternoon. Thursday, not today, is our dry "break" day. Friday/Saturday are the big rain days. Could see 2-3 more inches easily widespread. ACL looking more and more like a humid, smelly, muddy mess - if they don't axe some of each day entirely.
  22. phdhorn

    Aducanumab

    We got Chris Cuomo accused of sexual harassment (which he admitted in an email), Jeff "Tubin'" Toobin wacking it Zoom style, and now Don Lemon being sued for assault by a bartender (find the article, it's too creepy to post here). Apparently at CNN you can't work there unless you prove yourself worthy in a way, I guess.
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