The Pirate Bay is back!

Like a phoenix from the ashes
Credit: The Pirate Bay/Torrent Freak

After a police raid on its data center, near Stockholm, Sweden, The Pirate Bay has been unavailable.

Until 31 January.

http://torrentfreak.com/pirate-bay-back-online-150131/

https://thepiratebay.se/ / back on line online The Pirate Bay has risen from its digital ashes once again TPB back online today seven weeks servers raided notorious torrent site operating familiar .se domain appears data loss minimal early December The Pirate Bay raided Nacka station nuclear-proof data center mountain complex near Stockholm down two weeks domain came back online waving wave pirate flag temporary homepage TPB countdown to February 1st reappear that day lived up to comeback expectations one day ahead of schedule site started serving torrents delight millions users The Pirate Bay’s homepage currently features a Phoenix /

How much fun is a Tesla Model S? (video)

This much:



Unexpurgated version:
http://youtu.be/LpaLgF1uLB8

And about to get a little bit more fun:
http://mashable.com/2015/01/29/air-update-tesla/

Tesla Roadster is still a whole bunch of fun too:
https://hhg2tech.blogspot.com.au/2013/05/how-much-fun-is-tesla-electric-car.html / Tesla's 'Insane' acceleration button about to get more insane Tesla Model S P85D zero to 60 mph 3.3 seconds insane mode button Tesla CEO Elon Musk even faster latest dramatic reveal Twitter tweet tweeted electric vehicle EV 4 four door sports saloon Model S P85D acceleration will improve 0.1 seconds automatic over the air software update insane speed side-effect another feature over-the-air software update inverter algorithm dual motor cars also all-wheel drive main goal purpoe dual motor traction on snow side effect LiIon lithium ion battery /

Tesla Supercharger Network in Australia — 10 planned by year's end (update)

Credit: Tesla/EFTM

Tesla is not just an electric car manufacturer, but aims to provide a complete, sustainable, personal transport solution.

Motorists are accustomed to vehicles with a range of hundreds of kilometres & 5 minute refuelling. Selling a typical electric vehicle (EV), with its relatively short range, & slow charging, into such a market, is difficult.

Tesla’s solution to the range problem is more battery capacity than any other manufacturer (60 or 85 kWh 70, 85 or 90 kWh) & a range up to 500km in the Model S. That much battery capacity is expensive, but Tesla has built a car around those kWh, consistent with the price — Consumer Reports (USA) rates the Tesla Model S the best car it has ever tested.

Tesla has demonstrated battery swapping faster than a petrol vehicle can be refilled, but in practice, to date, their “refuelling” solution is a network of Supercharger fast chargers which can recharge a Model S to 50% in 20 minutes. Superchargers are free to use by Tesla vehicles, & owners have taken advantage of this to make coast to coast road trips across the USA, at no fuel cost. A little more mundane: fast chargers supplied to owners, & co-operating hotels, which allow a complete charge overnight.

Introduction of the Model S in Australia was half of the solution. The other half, a Supercharger network, is a work in progress. Maps indicate that Melbourne to Northern NSW will be available by the end of 2015 & north of Brisbane by the end of 2016.


Credit: Tesla/EFTM

http://eftm.com.au/2014/12/tesla-is-go-in-australia-showroom-open-cars-delivered-and-supercharger-network-announced-18309

http://www.smh.com.au/drive/electric-car-company-tesla-plans-16-supercharger-stations-between-melbourne-and-brisbane-20150111-12lw2a.html / travellers car park resides panel solar grid newly constructed car port electric revolution charging stations electric cars petrol bowsers driving longer distances electric cars the way of the future electric vehicle EV new car sales figures demand for electric cars, Australia big infrastructure investment technology American electric car company Tesla 16 high-powered supercharger stations between Melbourne Brisbane 2016 stations Tesla customer travel supercharger network exceeding 140 stations established luxury brands BMW local electric market rollout free electric charging stations build it and they will come Tesla spokesman Heath Walker supercharger network hotel partnerships high powered wall units motles hotels single three phase Darling Hotel in Sydney Marriot Melbourne range anxiety high purchase prices infrastructure charging at home barrier 40 amps of power home house charge overnight up to 500km of range next morning forward thinking Elon Musk design range car charging station free for public use /

Porsche Pajun will be an EV

Credit: Porche/Heute

Based on the belief that the sports sedan market is overcrowded, Porsche has decided to release the Pajun (Panamera junior) as an EV. Given the 2018 or 2019 timeframe, the planned 350-400 km (217-248 miles) range is a safe bet. Tesla’s Model S already exceeds the planned range. Plus both GM & Tesla have promised earlier mass market drive trains at the bottom of the Pajun range.

http://chargedevs.com/newswire/porsche-pajun-will-be-ev-only/

Nissan will have a mass-market, 200 mile range car too

http://www.slashgear.com/new-nissan-leaf-ev-battery-tipped-to-give-249-mile-range-03358169/

http://insideevs.com/nissan-range-is-off-the-table-claims-more-than-400-km-for-leaf-in-a-few-years/ / EV electric vehicle battery BEV lithium ion LiIon charge recharge Porsche plans sell gasoline petrol diesel versions long planned long-planned Pajun sedan German magazine auto motor und sport reported Automotive News Europe unnamed sources Porsche executives execs sport sedan segment too crowded new model legacy powertrain Pajun on sale 2018 2019 pure EV battery technology advanced new EV range of 350-400 km (217-248 miles) 4.6 meter long Pajun short for Panamera Junior incorporate technology Panamera rename renamed production /

Why evaporative cooling is bad for energy efficient homes

Evaporative air cooling works by doing exactly what the name says — evaporating water — this is achieved by pumping large amounts of air through a water soaked pad — heat energy to evaporate the water comes from the air as it flows through the pad — causing the air to cool.

Unfortunately there are a large number of problems arising from the way this works:
● only works when humidity is low — generally below 30% relative humidity —
● raises the humidity — not surprising since it works by evaporating water into the air flow
● elevated humidity reduces efficiency of the house occupants’ built in evaporative cooling system (perspiration)
● elevated humidity encourages mould growth
● requires lots of ventilation — i.e. doors & windows open to allow the high rate of air flow
● ventilation requirement largely eliminates the benefit of household insulation

A modern reverse-cycle air conditioner will cool your house much more effectively for around the same cost, & heat in winter too, more cheaply than gas.

More:
http://www.businessspectator.com.au/article/2015/1/23/smart-energy/why-evaporative-cooling-bad-energy-efficient-homes-0?utm_source=exact&utm_medium=email&utm_content=1104433&utm_campaign=cs_daily&modapt= / buy buying evaporative cooler summer deliver terribly poor performing inefficient cooling expensive uninstalle vaporative cooling primitive outdated superseded advances modern fast efficient reverse cycle air-conditioning air conditioning conditioner variation same technology kitchen fridge refrigerator reliable reliably heavy marketing new home owners included off-the-plan large volume standardised homes built new developments Australian urban performance evaporative coolers varies daily fluctuations temperature humidity maintenance occupants feel a bit cooler muggy high humidity conditions outside the accepted comfort zone how it works why it doesn’t work adding lots of moisture outside air pumping high volume noticeable perceivable humidity in the outdoor air below 30% RH Relative Humidity amount of moisture given temperature warmer hold more moisture cooler relative humidity two mercury filled glass thermometers dry bulb wet wick wet bulb evaporative cooler effectively operate household windows doors open security risk upgrade your building envelope compromised insulation air sealing wasted consistent insulation ceiling evaporative cooler register big thermal chimney varying temperature humidity combination seasonal winter heating requirements significant heat is lost evaporative cooling ducting induced thermal chimney effect outside the effective range for using evaporative coolers fire risk Western Australia’s Fire and Emergency Services Authority FESA catastrophic bushfire were burnt fire that startedevaporative cooler unit on the roof houses burnt Victoria’s Black Saturday fires hundreds of houses were destroyed ignited under ember attack costly servicing serviced pads replaced cost of servicing parts additional cost physical home security secure your home water leaks pad failure replace the pads water damage plumbing connections mould damp fungus fungal growth exhaust fan swelling doors door frames furniture installations seal ceiling vents damper destruction of the building thermal envelope higher winter heating requirements air pressurisation test building performance company Efficiency Matrix install insulation air seal air-seal building big bulky take up valuable space on your rooftop installing solar panels badly placed evaporative cooler block potential continuous solar panel array household’s annual electricity needs modern solution that works quality Japanese reverse cycle air-conditioner cools heats too heating cheaper heating with gas US Department of Energy California Energy Commission Sustainability Victoria Daikin Ururu Sarara 6 7 star air-conditioners energy consumption cooling performance far superior /

Activity trackers can help to improve your fitness (update)

Fitbit Charge HR
Credit: Fitbit/Wearable

Activity trackers appeared on the market only recently, but have achieved substantial popularity. Most popular is the Fitbit range¹.

Obviously, by itself, an activity tracker will not improve your fitness. You do have to actually get out there & walk, run, play sports or whatever, but, a fitness tracker can:

● accurately² count all of your steps in a day without any monitoring or other intervention on your part
● for at least some users, act as an incentive^3,4

A happy user:

http://www.citeworld.com/article/2114901/mobile-byod/fitbit-pebble-smartwatch-apps.html

Comparison tests:

http://au.pcmag.com/health-fitness/159/feature/the-best-activity-trackers-for-fitness

http://www.wareable.com/fitness-trackers/the-best-fitness-tracker

An alternative to a dedicated device, is the Misfit app for the Pebble smartwatch. Free on the Pebble app store.

A user did a side-by-side comparison with a Fitbit Flex, which is known to be accurate:²

http://forums.connectedly.com/pebble-apps-f65/misfit-app-pebble-vs-fitbit-flex-4618/

In both instances, the Misfit app on the Pebble counted high:

6 hour test
Fitbit Flex - 7,249 steps
Misfit app for Pebble - 7,485 steps
(7,485 - 7249) / 7249 * 100 = 3.26% higher

9 hour test
Fitbit Flex - 10,222 steps
Misfit app for Pebble - 10,536 steps
(10,536 - 10,222) / 10,222 * 100 = 3.07% higher

Keeping in mind that this is based on only one sample of each device, the inaccuracy is not significant.

With the Pebble now at $US99, & the Misfit app free, this combination is a viable alternative to a dedicated device. For anyone who already has a Pebble watch, it’s a no-brainer.
__________
¹ “Among fitness products, Fitbit is well in the lead for sales & hype – accounting for over 50% of the three million plus sales of wearable fitness devices across a one-year period in 2013 & 2014, & sales increasing at a breakneck speed.” — “How fit is that Fitbit? What the science says about fitness trackers & how well they work.” http://berkeleysciencereview.com/fit-fitbit/

² “All models of Fitbits tested showed high accuracy when it came to the number of steps taken.” — “How fit is that Fitbit? What the science says about fitness trackers & how well they work.” http://berkeleysciencereview.com/fit-fitbit/

³ “The results suggest that the use of a pedometer is associated with significant
increases in physical activity & significant decreases in body mass index &
blood pressure. Whether these changes are durable over the long term is undetermined.” — “Using Pedometers to Increase Physical Activity & Improve Health” http://web.mit.edu/mobilehealth/www/House_n/Readings/BravataETAL07.pdf

⁴ “From my own experience (& the testimonials of many others on the Internet), the Fitbit can inspire you to exercise more to meet your daily goals ...” — “How fit is that Fitbit? What the science says about fitness trackers & how well they work.” http://berkeleysciencereview.com/fit-fitbit/ / Basis B1 Band wrist armband trackers Fitbit Force Flex MIO Alpha BLE Jawbone UP Motorola MotoActv Nike+ FuelBand SE BodyMedia Fit Core Larklife clip-on clip on Fitbit One Withings Pulse Zip Misfit Shine Striiv Play runners Runtastic Orbit sports Basis Peak Surge Jawbone UP Move women Swarovski Shine style Withings Activité active Pop sleep tracking Misfit Shine notifications Fitbit Surge Garmin Vivosmart Sony SmartBand Talk tight budget Misfit Flash Razer Nabu X Xiaomi Mi Band Pivotal Living losing weight Withings simplicity Acer Liquid Leap /

Even if you’re active, extended sitting shortens life & erodes health

You’ve seen it here before, & now another study has confirmed:
“Prolonged sedentary time was independently associated with deleterious health outcomes regardless of physical activity.” — Annals of Internal Medicine

So, what can you do if your work, commute, blogging, social media, correspondence, tv watching, reading etc., etc, mean that you spend hours sitting?

● stand up & move around for 2 or 3 minutes every half hour when you are sitting for a longer period — includes work, tv, reading
● regular exercise is still important & valuable
● an activity tracker can help — mine is a Pebble smartwatch with the free Misfit app loaded — Pebble now available for $US99

http://www.latimes.com/science/sciencenow/la-sci-sn-sitting-health-20150119-story.html / sit long hours meetings phone calls keyboards time new research distills findings 47 studies sit long hours raise our average risk cancer cardiovascular disease type 2 diabetes early death meet recommended daily levels of exercise sitting for long periods boosts likelihood declining health worked out intensively 90 minutes risking life and limb latest research risk of poor health lower levels of physical activity engage in regular physical activity large proportion day sedentary activity 30% less likely to die of any cause little to no exercise long day of sitting vigorous workoutestimated to be 16% more likely to die of any cause participants seated prolonged sitting watch watched television at least five hours a day more than six study more than 11 hours sitting time studies long-sitting category sit sitting compensating effects of exercise study high levels of physical activity defined meeting physical activity guidelines moderately vigorous exercise moderately vigorous exercise amount of time spent sitting drive up health risks independently of other factors poor health linked to sedentary behavior smoking age obesity sitting contribute weight gain harmful obese research time spent sitting risk developing diabetes association strongest authors extrapolated from available research spend long hours in sedentary activity develop type 2 diabetes completely sedentary people regular exercisers researchers worked regular exercise mitigated risk likelihood of dying from cardiovascular disease long hours of sitting risk of cancers higher rates breast colon colorectal endometrial endothelial ovarian cancer Dr. David Alter senior scientist Toronto Rehabilitation Institute /