Random Thoughts 7

[WWGD]

I have done things that are not exceedingly difficult but take forethought and persistence to bring to fruition, like getting some research building built on time and on budget. It merely took funding, having a well-defined plan, and being able to work well with others. These are not extra special human traits. Any reasonably intelligent, well informed, and determined person could do it.

There is no way I could not go out and play major league baseball. That would take special traits that I can not reasonably expect to acquire.

Agree, though there are people who seem to have a level of drive, initiative, that is several sigma above the mean. I'm thinking of the likes of Musk, Bezos, Gates.

 

[pinball1970]

I gave up long ago trying to figure out whether England, Scotland, Wales, were countries and why they don't have a single team for the whole of the UK.

As long as we win something. Looking at the Euro performances England will be eviscerated by one of the stronger teams.
Like Portugal who have a 39 and 41 year old in the starting 11!
And they are playing attacking football!

 

[fresh_42]

Let it be Denmark!

 

[WWGD]

As long as we win something. Looking at the Euro performances England will be eviscerated by one of the stronger teams.
Like Portugal who have a 39 and 41 year old in the starting 11!
And they are playing attacking football!

Well, people are playing Ice Hockey in Florida, where humidity is near 60%+, temperature above 60o most of the year.

 

[WWGD]

Let it be Denmark!

I had a ticket for the game. Can't remember: 2B or not 2B? Something rotten there. Ask Bill.

 

[fresh_42]

Well, people are playing Ice Hockey in Florida, where humidity is near 60%+, temperature above 60o most of the year.

As long as they lose tonight.

 

[WWGD]

As long as they lose tonight.

Wow, I barely follow Baseball. Bet that's the only one that you don't follow, right?

 

[fresh_42]

Wow, I barely follow Baseball. Bet that's the only one that you don't follow, right?

Right. I have no idea how it works and I don't want to know. Cricket and Baseball are lamer than Golf.

And the NBA. Last time I was watching there were Pippen, Jordan, and Bird playing.

 

[WWGD]

Right. I have no idea how it works and I don't want to know. Cricket and Baseball are lamer than Golf.

Golf broadcasters sound like they're on a respirator. Or the ones who make obscene phone calls. " It's a Birdie/ What are you wearing?" . Same voice.

 

[WWGD]

Golf broadcasters sound like they're on a respirator. Or the ones who make obscene phone calls. " It's a Birdie/ What are you wearing?" . Same voice.

But I do envy hardcore fans like you. All you need for a good time is a TV, a couple of iced beers. No need for more elaborate schemes.

 

[pinball1970]

Right. I have no idea how it works and I don't want to know. Cricket and Baseball are lamer than Golf.

And the NBA. Last time I was watching there were Pippen, Jordan, and Bird playing.

Cricket, test cricket at least is like a game of chess.

 

[fresh_42]

Cricket, test cricket at least is like a game of chess.

Over several days??? Chess has at least a clock. And no red sofa.

 

[pinball1970]

Over several days??? Chess has at least a clock. And no red sofa.

I was getting at the strategic part of the game. Plus, the techniques involved are amazing.
Bowling, batting and fielding all very different specialities.

 

[fresh_42]

I was getting at the strategic part of the game. Plus, the techniques involved are amazing.
Bowling, batting and fielding all very different specialities.

If it has to be a British sport, how about Hockey or Rugby (15)? @US-Readers: no, there is no "ice" in Hockey. I think I prefer it when something actually happens! Even chess has more action than Baseball.

 

[pinball1970]

If it has to be a British sport, how about Hockey or Rugby (15)? @US-Readers: no, there is no "ice" in Hockey. I think I prefer it when something actually happens! Even chess has more action than Baseball.

Its fine. If we England meet you at later stages it will be a bad result for us.
That is my prediction.

 

[Astronuc]

Flooding south of Mankato, Minnesota along the Blue Earth River.
https://news.yahoo.com/flooding-causes-rapidan-dam-near-162300062.html

The flow took out the switch yard and buildings on the west side of the dam. Across the road, there were several houses on a small peninsula, which likely flooded. Upstream, small towns are under flood warning. SW Minnesota and NW Iowa are having significant flooding due to heavy rainfall.

https://www.fox9.com/weather/live-updates-rapidan-dam-suffers-partial-failure-home-danger

https://www.dtnpf.com/agriculture/web/ag/crops/article/2024/06/24/iowa-minnesota-south-dakota-cope

https://news.yahoo.com/news/watch-flooded-blue-earth-river-223538719.html


Edit/update: Train bridge in North Sioux City partially collapsed from rising water
https://www.ktiv.com/2024/06/24/train-bridge-north-sioux-city-partially-collapsed-rising-water/

A major railroad bridge between Iowa and South Dakota partially collapsed into the Big Sioux River, and the remaining structure undermined and forced out of alignment. The bridge is used by BNSF railroad and was originally built by the Chicago, Milwaukee, St Paul & Pacific Railroad (Milwaukee Road).

https://www.argusleader.com/story/n...r-historic-rainfall-union-county/74190921007/

https://news.yahoo.com/news/sweltering-temperatures-persist-across-us-050838917.html

Edit/update2: The bridge washout at North Sioux City affects BNSF's Aberdeen Subdivision. Traffic from the region can be rerouted, but it will take longer to go points west or NW..

https://www.rtands.com/freight/class-1/bnsf-suffers-south-dakota-bridge-collapse/

 

[WWGD]

You know an actor/ public figure X is past their popularity prime when you enter their name into a search and the first suggestion is "Is X still alive"?

 

[Astronuc]

Company develops wildly simple solution for enormous fuel and pollution savings in shipping industry: 'On track for commercial deployment this year​

https://www.yahoo.com/tech/company-develops-wildly-simple-solution-073050038.html

Go slower.

The "Blue Visby Solution," which New Atlas referred to as "head-slappingly obvious," would have cargo ships simply change the way they operate their ships to save massive amounts of fuel, reducing carbon pollution by as much as 28%.

Currently, cargo ships use an operational practice known as "sail fast, then wait," which is exactly what it sounds like: They travel as quickly as possible from one port to the next and then spend as much as 8% of their time idling at anchor outside the port while they wait for their turn to dock and unload/load their cargo.

The Blue Visby Solution, developed by a consortium of experts in maritime technology and maritime law, would instead have ships coordinate with each and slow down, with each one arriving at port at its designated time. That way, the ships would burn less planet-overheating fuel while also reducing "hull fouling," the accumulation of algae and slime on the hull of a boat that sits stationary in the water.

 

[gmax137]

Company develops wildly simple solution for enormous fuel and pollution savings in shipping industry: 'On track for commercial deployment this year​

Go slower.

Wow, given the importance of fuel cost:

Fuel costs represent as much as 50-60% of total ship operating costs, depending on the type of ship and service.

it is hard to believe that the shipping companies don't have a team devoted to optimizing their operational practices. On the other hand, maybe they do, but there are "hidden" cost factors not obvious to us outsiders. Things like penalties for arriving late -- maybe they force the optimum practice to burn fuel and arrive early.

 

[Astronuc]

it is hard to believe that the shipping companies don't have a team devoted to optimizing their operational practices.

I was wondering that myself.

On the other hand, maybe they do, but there are "hidden" cost factors not obvious to us outsiders.

I imagine there is some impact by the ports themselves, such as when the railroads were having trouble clearing containers from the ports recently.

Things like penalties for arriving late -- maybe they force the optimum practice to burn fuel and arrive early.

I'm not versed in marine practices, but I would think there would be penalties for not arriving at one's assigned birth on time. It doesn't make sense to arrive at a port, usually outside, e.g., off the coast, and sit idle for days. I thought 'just-in-time' is the practice adopted by the different transportation companies.

 

[Ibix]

Perhaps a case of ports not providing real-time estimates of when they'll have a space available? Then it would make sense for ships to get there ASAP and hang around. But if they can provide real-time estimation of when you can come in to dock you can adjust your speed to match.

It could just have been a matter of getting an industry-wide body together with the clout to issue demands and then just agreeing a data interchange format. Rising fuel prices and environmental concerns likely made cooperation really attractive.

 

[gleem]

I thought 'just-in-time' is the practice adopted by the different transportation companies.

I believe JIT was initiated decades ago by companies to reduce their inventory which is usually taxed by states and of course, transportation companies need to respond. For this to work the system must be finely tuned. When a major clod is thrown into the churn like Covid you have serious problems.

 

[gleem]

It doesn't make sense to arrive at a port, usually outside, e.g., off the coast, and sit idle for days.

But they do. In the Chesapeake Bay for example there is an anchorage outside of Annapolis where ships anchor waiting to get a berth in Baltimore. The same for Norfolk where ships anchor just outside the Bay tunnel. I don't know if all ships anchor before docking.

 

[WWGD]

Baltimore obviously didn't have it very together.

 

[gmax137]

But they do. In the Chesapeake Bay for example there is an anchorage outside of Annapolis where ships anchor waiting to get a berth in Baltimore. The same for Norfolk where ships anchor just outside the Bay tunnel. I don't know if all ships anchor before docking.

I was going to give the same example - Baltimore (or Ballmer, if you're a native). I have family on the eastern shore and see the freighters anchored outside the bay bridge. Nothing new, I've seen it since the 1970s.

 

[OmCheeto]

...inventory which is usually taxed by states...

I've never heard of such a thing. According to this Tax Foundation article, only 9 states fully tax inventory, 5 states partially tax inventory, while the rest do not.

 

[gleem]

According to this Tax Foundation article, only 9 states fully tax inventory, 5 states partially tax inventory, while the rest do not.

I made the statement based on what I heard many years ago without checking current regs. (mea culpa)

 

[OmCheeto]

I made the statement based on what I heard many years ago without checking current regs. (mea culpa)

No biggy. The tax foundation explanation didn't make much sense to me so I looked at a couple of other articles. One said that a good way to avoid the tax is to get a warehouse in an adjoining state that doesn't have such a tax and keep your inventory there.

Forbes has an excellent article, which explains the horrific complexities involved. Texas for example levies the tax at the local level; "To further complicate matters, Texas has 250 property appraisal districts, each employing its own valuation factors."

Blech!

 

[gmax137]

Around here (Nevada near Reno) there are lots and lots of warehouses. Just huge one-story buildings with tons of loading docks. I read a while back that they're here because of the state tax laws, something like "goods in transit are not taxed." Maybe that's true, or not?

EDIT: and they are building more of them every day.

 

[OmCheeto]

Around here (Nevada near Reno) there are lots and lots of warehouses. Just huge one-story buildings with tons of loading docks. I read a while back that they're here because of the state tax laws, something like "goods in transit are not taxed." Maybe that's true, or not?

EDIT: and they are building more of them every day.

Not a clue. But I get my cat food from a warehouse(Chewy) in the Reno neighborhood, 532 miles away, and it usually arrives within 48 hours from when I ordered it.

4/23/2024 18:25 ordered​

4/25/2024 11:10 arrived​

Not bad with free shipping, and cheaper than I can get it at the supermarket.

But that's just an example of how 500 miles is not that big a deal. Since there are no 'inventory tax' states near Nevada, I'm guessing it might be property taxes that are the reason. Along with Reno being almost perfectly aligned as a hub for the west coast money bucket cities:

705 miles to Seattle​

530 miles to Portland​

220 miles to San Francisco​

470 miles to Los Angeles​

560 miles to San Diego​

It's always something.