I fly under a balloon. Plus, a real-life lightsaber.
12th September 2022
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Hello!
A brief note before we start this week's newsletter: with a significant British audience, and the news of Elizabeth II's death, I looked at the "national mourning guidance" from the UK Government, to see whether it was appropriate to still publish the regular video.
A brief note before we start this week's newsletter: with a significant British audience, and the news of Elizabeth II's death, I looked at the "national mourning guidance" from the UK Government, to see whether it was appropriate to still publish the regular video.
It turns out that the guidance itself is an interesting link for the newsletter, because it's thorough and thoughtful! For example, for web sites and social media changing their designs to darker colours as a tribute, it makes clear that designers "should take into consideration accessibility requirements for visually impaired users". As ever, the gov.uk team really take their
time to get it right.
In summary: most UK broadcasters and YouTube channels are continuing as normal, or with just a small dose of caution, so I'm doing the same. However, next week's video may be delayed by a few hours or perhaps a day, as it's possible that the timing will clash with the State Funeral.
All of which leads me to say that, in short, the show must go on! And in this week's video: how much helium does it take to lift a person? And by "a person", I mean me. I got to fly powered by helium.
Elsewhere on YouTube:
- Nahre Sol performs
"Happy Birthday" in the style of ten classical composers — while using on-screen text to explain why each piece sounds like that composer!
- The Hacksmith and his team have been making lightsabers for a while now. By which I mean, they're making actual gas-powered cutting-blade welding torches that look and behave almost like lightsabers, albeit without the duelling clash. They're now small enough that the gas and power fits onto a belt pack. Absolutely incredible.
- rctestflight mows his lawn with a laser and lenses, which is an impressive level of dedication to what is an objectively terrible idea. Even with all the safety precautions, I said "oh no" out loud, several times.
- At the tribute concert for the late Taylor Hawkins, his 16-year-old son took to the drums for "My Hero". The commenters here are reading all sort of things into the expressions and apparent catharsis, which all feel like speculation to me. But I will say that a friend of mine was in the audience, and described it as "not a dry eye in the house".
Away from
the world of video this week:
- I had no idea that magnetic refrigeration was a thing. There are a couple of companies trying to commercialise it, but they're all still getting off the
ground.
- The super-rich preppers planning to save themselves from the apocalypse takes a different turn than you might expect: it's more about community than about
giant bunkers. Cory Doctorow's "Masque of the Red Death", available free as an audiobook (frequent strong language) is a novella that tells the story of what living one of those bunkers might feel like from the inside.
- I had no idea that the singing frog from the famous Looney Tunes cartoon was very loosely based on a real and less-musical story. Presenting something that would these days be a two-day internet craze: Ol' Rip the Horned Toad.
And finally,
excellent government communications from the Washington State Department of Natural Resources.
All the best,
— Tom
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