brad
@brad@posiwid.net
electrical engineer, synth designer, ham radio operator. alt of @kr4dio@mastodon.radio
brad
@brad@posiwid.net
I've written a parser for the text watches, warnings, advisories, and bulletins issued by National Weather Service forecast offices and the Storm Prediction Center. I am now able to issue queries against this data and the results be displayed graphically, like this screen of all the tornado warnings happening during the peak of the 2011 April 27 Super Outbreak.
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A series of red outline polygons overlayed on a map of the United States denoting tornado warnings all across the eastern-southeastern United States at 2011-04-27 22:12:00 UTC, the moment the long-track EF4 Tuscaloosa, Alabama tornado was bearing down on Tuscaloosa during its 80.68 mile track across Dixie Alley.
@xan than-you, this is very important work.
I've been wondering how much of an existing DIY network of weather stations might be out there (akin to the old Weather Underground before it got bought).
If there isn't one, it's time to build it.
@requiem I'm even archiving NEXRAD Level II products for the entire period of record, using this tool:
https://dev.xantronix.net/xan/nexrad-archive.git
Other people are helping along, too. We will have discussions soon on making this data freely available, especially if the official archives are pulled offline.
I agree with you and firmly believe a nationwide surface observation mesonet is easily within our reach.
There are thousands of independent weather stations publishing their conditions over APRS, some via radio and some via the internet. You can grab the raw stream of data from any APRS server, or see it visualized on a site like https://aprs.fi
๐๏ธ OK folks, time for a refreshed round of #RSS reader recommendations. What do you use to consume #blogs #news etc.?
(Only interested in #OpenSource solutions, and preferably ones that are web-based or otherwise able to be synchronized across devices.)
@downey boring old newsboat
@downey I love my RSS feeds, but "only open source" rules out Feedbin...I'm happy to pay for it.
What's the Python IDE of choice?
Don't say VS. I only ever used that when I got paid to. vim is fine, but I'm wondering what others use.
Mac/Linux.
@KC8JC sadly I use VS sometimes, but a lot of times I just use Notepad++ or BBedit (RIP TaxtWrangler).
@brad I love vim, so I'll take a look at helix for sure! Thanks!
@KC8JC Emacs, always emacs. Steep learning curve, but it's the last editor you ever have to learn.
Tounge in cheek, but with a grain of truth
At home, where I use Linux and get to choose? gvim
For work, my python coding is on Windows, not in a formal environment with modern toolchains, and actually with Jython ๐ฌ (~python 2.7 still) So there, I mostly use notepad++ and a barebones interactive console. I've tried to like VSCode, but it just doesn't feel right.
But really, none of what I do in Python is big enough to really justify an IDE.
Seize the means of activation. POTA not accepting your favourite local city park or suburban nature spot into their database because it doesn't meet "their" criteria?
That local hill or non-distinguished promontory that you enjoy the view from atop doesn't qualify as a "summit"?
Assign it your own entity number, and activate it.
Communicate. Activate. Send QSL cards. Make up your own weird awards. Log it. Blog it.
Manifest it.
We don't need guardrails where we are going.
I want to go see this band so badly. I need to relive that 80s Crimson experience.
Oh, gosh. You do know how to pick 'em. Alas, time takes a toll. That's Mr. Belew in front, isn't it? He just doesn't have the pipes for that material anymore.
However, I shall have to go buy "In the Court of the Crimson King" today. Then I shall turn off my cell phone, draw the blinds, close my eyes, and pretend that it is 50 years ago for a little while.
@Professor_Stevens yeah that's Adrian.
Sometimes you just can't go back. After all the decades I have been playing and replaying their (rather small) oeuvre, I finally got to go into DC for a live performance by Kraftwerk. Necessarily, it wasn't the same four robots I first knew. but Ralf was on the stage. Now, common belief is that they don't actually perform. They just pretend to turn knobs while you see a recorded show. Well, fine. But they had rearranged all of it. It just wasn't... how it goes.
You can't go back.
@Professor_Stevens My friend Todd is a huge Kraftwork fan. He's seen them in concert also.
I went because they made such a lasting impression on me in the late '70s. So I felt I had something akin to a duty to go. Also, if I hadn't, I'd have spent the remainder of my life thinking, "I could have seen Kraftwerk..." The actual event was a big disappointment (I even left before the end). But, at least it cured me of any future fears arising from that particular strain of FOMO.
@brad a nostalgia experience is exactly what I'm looking for. I loved that version of the band.
If you've ever found yourself missing the "good old days" of the #web, what is it that you miss? (Interpret "it" broadly: specific websites? types of activities? feelings? etc.) And approximately when were those good old days?
No wrong answers โ I'm working on an article and wanted to get some outside thoughts.
My memory of the "personal web" at that time is that it felt like it was a linear progression from BBSes, gopher, Usenet, and IRC. More graphical and more widely accessible, but with a lot of the same community spirit.
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Photo of the Travis County Central Appraisal District building with blue sky in the background
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Small house missing a couple of walls, leaning precariously
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Pile of construction debris
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Texas sage bush with pink-purple flowers in front of a blue sky with wispy white clouds
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photo of an amusement park with merry go round and ferris wheel
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Photo of a large building with towering concrete planters beside a river
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Photo of a large building with towering concrete planters
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Photo of a large building with towering concrete planters
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Photo of a large building with towering concrete planters covered in scaffolding beside another highrise
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Artwork by Roman Verostko, colorful lines, thick black line
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Artwork by Roman Verostko, colorful lines, thick black line
The article goes on to say that Kaspersky is banned from providing software to US users, which I guess is possible to enforce to a certain extent.
I'm in Shanghai right now, seamlessly using a VPN to access blocked content (including the linked article), so I'm a little skeptical.
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old Chinese buildings along a canal
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zig-zag bridge over a pond with koi
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zig-zag bridge over a pond with koi
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view of park with pond and pavilion
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tropical trees with lots of air roots
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View over the rooftops of Taipei with Taipei 101 skyscraper and mountains in the background
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View over the rooftops of Taipei
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Airplane at gate with jetway attached and Delta baggage trolley
Farmers in Bastrop, TX were hopeful when Elon Musk bought land nearby, but now heโs turning the area into โan environmentally hazardous industrial park.โ Authorities wonโt do anything because theyโre understaffed and โintimidated by their powerful new neighbor.โ
https://www.texasmonthly.com/news-politics/elon-musk-vs-organic-farmers-bastrop/
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VICModem cartridge, Hamtext VIC-20 cartridge, and serial port cartridge for HP85 on top of a TRS-80 pen plotter
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RG400 coax jumper cable coiled with male RF connector and female BNC
