09:55 – Barbara seems to be fully recovered from the episode on Tuesday. I’m still keeping a closer-than-usual eye on her while she’s in the shower and so on, but I think the risk of a repeat episode is pretty small.
I seldom do breaking news, but I figured I’d make an exception in this case and report the results of the EU crisis pre-summit scheduled for this coming Sunday and the EU real-summit-between-Germany-and-France scheduled for next Wednesday. On Sunday, the press release will say that the major parties have agreed to agree, and that the crisis will be defused at the following meeting. After the real meeting, the press release will say that major steps will be taken to address the crisis. If a particular step is to be taken soon, no details will provided about what exactly is to be done. If details are provided about what exactly is to be done, those actions will be promised only for the distant future. On Wednesday and Thursday, mainstream news sources will report that decisive actions have been taken, and the markets will breathe a sigh of relief. On Thursday and Friday, everyone will realize that exactly nothing came out of the summit meeting, and the crisis will return and intensify.
Remember, you read it here first. My new slogan is “Breaking News, Before it Happens”.
Just read , Michael Lewis’s brand new book about the European debt crisis. Turned out to be far more interesting than I expected, since it’s less a history and more of an explanation of the culture of Iceland, Greece, Ireland, and Germany, explaining just how that culture got each country into trouble. It was especially interesting to learn just how different the problems of Ireland, Greece, Iceland, and the US were.. different motivations, different methods, different problems. It’s not one big crisis, it’s really a half dozen problems which interact with each other, but at their core, are each unique.
Well recommended. I read it on my new Kindle.. a fast 2 hour read and worth it.
My landlord, and his passive lackey the super, seem to think the hot water in our building can come and go as it pleases. Went down to 87° tonight before the human thermostat (me) called him and said the boilers might be out — again. This has been going on for years, and I’m in a building of 85 units in a nice neighborhood, paying for this crap.
I need an elegant solution to document hourly changes, a thermograph, which won’t consume too much water and can be affixed to my own apartment’s water supply. Any clever ideas? Clever does NOT mean a webcam affixed to thermometer, I’m afraid; though that’s the best I can come up with.
@Jim: Could any of the devices used in this article be of use?
Jim: as a preliminary suggestion, try hooking a waterproof thermistor up to a data logger. I’m not too sure what such a thermistor would cost… they definitely do exist.
Well, the obvious problem is that you’re going to have to run the water each time until the temperature stabilizes and then take a measurement. If you’re looking for evidence to use in court, I’d suggest that you simply buy two lab thermometers, which can be had from any science supplies vendor pretty inexpensively. Calibrate them for 0C by filling a container with ice and water. After a few minutes, use each thermometer and record the temperature it indicates at 0C actual. You can do the same with boiling water, although you’ll have to take pressure into account. You can get that from the nearest airport.
Give the second thermometer to one of the other renters, and tell him that each time he notices the hot water isn’t hot to run it until the temperature stabilizes and then record its temperature. Between his records and yours, you have convincing evidence for small claims court, which isn’t likely to hold you to a high standard.
Brad, thanks; the data logger is pricey but will perform just the desired task, esp. when combined with some espresso machine parts.
I once ran across 5 or 6 identical oral mercury thermometers at a garage sale for a dollar or something. I carefully measured each reading of my own body temp and was surprised to find they varied quite a bit. I graphed them out and saved the one coming closest to the midpoint. Accurate? Who knows? Precise? I suppose the mid-point was more precise, but could be wildly inaccurate! This was before Gore and AGW and taught me a good lesson.