Thursday, November 12, 2020

Planets moving in the sky

Earth's spin obviously causes planets to rise in the east and set in the west, just like all other astronomical bodies. However, when tracking their positions month after month at the same time of night, the reason for their movement is not so obvious.

If going by sidereal time (star time) the planets (excluding Mercury/Venus) actually move west to east because that's the direction of orbit (CCW when viewed from overhead.) Sidereal time is the actual time of Earth's spin. The difference between sidereal and 'regular' time is accounted for by the fact that the Sun and Earth move relative to each other (Earth's orbit) so the Earth has to make a full spin and then some to put the Sun back to the same point in the sky, because the Sun moved a bit, so it takes longer.

Going by 'regular' time (Sun time) straight up at midnight at a specific Earth longitude points to a different direction depending when in the year it is (30deg/month), unlike sidereal time. This very fact makes it confusing about how things move relative to each other, which is why astronomers use sidereal time rather than 'regular' time. Going by regular time gives the appearance that planets orbit CW rather than CCW (Mars and beyond don't orbit as fast as 30deg/month.)

Tuesday, August 25, 2020

Secure election system

This system can be used to counter-act potential corruption with the voting system.

-Every voter gets a 'carbon copy' of their votes.

-Every ballot is given an ID, and is identifiable on the state database by that ID.

-To ensure uniqueness of each database entry, each voter creates an auxiliary ID when voting. When looking at the state database their votes and chosen auxiliary ID shall match their carbon copy. This prevents a corrupt database system from giving many people the same ID but only counting one of them.

-State database file shall be accessible to all. A checksum can be used to ensure that everyone is looking at a legitimate copy.

-No personal identifiable information shall be on the State database. To further ensure integrity vote count by district shall be checked to reduce the potential of fake voting entries being added.


Wednesday, June 17, 2020

Traveling in blowing tunnels instead of vacuum tunnels


Not sure if this idea originated with the Boring Company or not
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iRi0bL484J0&t=10m40s

Blowers make alot of sense. Instead of vacuum tubes (where people can't breath in) push cars through with wind. No air friction because you're moving with the wind, not against. Not as noisy and one can ride with the top down in a convertible. Air doesn't become stale either with a constant renewal of oxygen rich air. If fact cars could put up a sail in the back for the air to push on. Not a sail made of fabric, more like one made of sheet metal.