Double Tongue Whistling
I can whistle about seven notes per second, which corresponds to a reel at 105bpm. [1] While this isn't a problem for whistling basslines it's slightly too slow for melodies at contra dance speed...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Comments are back!
Instead of hosting comments on jefftk.com directly, I copy over publicly-accessible comments from discussion elsewhere: By default it's first-name only when copying from social media (Facebook, Google...
View ArticleAxis-49 to Jammer MIDI Mapper
One of the risks with new instruments is that you might put a lot of work learning how to play something that then is discontinued. In the case of the jammer, things are worse because it was...
View ArticleLong-term Donation Bunching?
Let's say you're a relatively well-off American with an income of $100k and have taken the Giving What We Can pledge to donate 10% of your money to the most effective charities you can find. The...
View ArticleResetting Somebody Will v2
Yesterday I wrote about the song Somebody Will and why it's tricky in a group singing context, and shared a new melody I was playing with. After talking to some people about what they like about the...
View ArticleClik here to view.
The MA Estate Tax is Broken
There's a common misconception that crossing the boundary into a higher tax bracket hurts you. In a sensibly designed tax system how much money you have after taxes, as a function of how much money...
View ArticleResetting Somebody Will
Update 2019-09-26: I had another go at this, preserving more of the original song and only swapping out the harder parts; see Resetting Somebody Will v2 Each December I've been running music for the...
View ArticleFive Minute Beans
At the EA dinner last night more people showed up than had RSVP'd, and we ran out of vegan protein. Julia was still running the intro Q&A, so I made more beans. Someone asked for the recipe, which...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Don't clean your glasses
I rarely clean my glasses: They do get dusty, but I find that as long as I don't clean them I don't notice it. Just like I no longer notice having glasses at all, despite the opaque frames and the...
View ArticleEffective Altruism and Everyday Decisions
"Ask for your drink without a straw.Unplug your microwave when not in use.Bring a water bottle to events.Stop using air conditioning.Choose products that minimize packaging." I've recently heard people...
View ArticleAnswering some questions about EA
A teacher in Vienna recently wrote to say that they had assigned an article about us as part of a Social Issues class, and asked whether I would be up for answering questions. The students asked me...
View ArticleFocus
One of the things I have the hardest time with is focus. I have times when focus comes easily, and I get a week's worth of work done in hours, come up with ideas that need sustained thinking, write...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Somerville Housing Over Time
I wanted to understand how the number of housing units in Somerville had changed over our history, but wasn't able to find anything searching online. We can get an estimate, however, by looking at the...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Somerville Housing Units
In the comments on yesterday's post on Somerville building age someone suggested census data for housing units could be helpful. I've now looked into it, but it's not great: Somerville seems to not...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Battery Manual
I'm probably lending my battery system to someone for a protest. I started writing them an email with instructions but decided to make a blog post instead. So, here's how to use the battery system:...
View ArticleDressing Outside
This is not a good pattern: Parent: before we go outside you need to put your coat onChild: noParent: it's a cold day, and if you go out without your coat you'll be sadChild: no... As a parent, there...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Subway Station Fan Cooling
Subway stations can get very hot in the summer. Passengers, train AC units, motors, brakes all warming up a small space. The NYC stations are famously hot in summer (peak measurement of 106.6F!) but...
View Article