If you're like me you probably type normal text faster than you can write it legibly.
For the plain text part, you'll probably want to stick with the computer.
For the equations, type in a cross reference id like "eq15a" and scribble the equation onto a small pad of paper and write the id in the margins.
At the end of the day you can just insert the equations into the computer at a leisurely pace.
Alternatively, learning shorthand might be allow you to take notes on pen & paper sufficiently fast. I haven't tried it myself yet but it seems promising.
If you have to go out of your way to work out you probably get sidetracked. Its easier if you have equipment nearby.
Let's start of with your residence. A jump rope and punching bag are relatively cheap and compact. The bag is also good for venting stress/anger/etc. Free weights will cost more than the rope and bag but take up less space and cost less than weight machines. Don't push yourself too much with those though.
As for the office, a pull up bar and a pilates ball are unobtrusive and won't distract your coworkers during use. The ball also doubles as a spare chair. You can also get a medicine ball to toss about in the hall or parking lot with your coworkers while brainstorming or just socializing. It's less likely to dent a car door or break a window than a baseball, football or frisbee. A soccer ball works well too, but tends to be more disruptive. Finally keep a duffel bag with running shoes clothes (don't forget socks and underpants) and a towel. You might also want to keep rinseless soap of some sort in there.
You could say that AWGs are just complicated dehumidifiers. This is a variation using a liquid desiccant to absorb moisture rather than using refrigeration to force dew formation. Neither are new concepts and there have even been proposals to use decorative water fountains and falls filled with brine as indoor dehumidifiers. The difference seems to be in the amount of infrastructure needed to support either type of system. The more self sufficient a device built for this purpose is, the more places it can be used. Most AWGs require a large amount of electricity to operate so while they might be practical for a military base in the desert, an impoverished community on the side of a mountain would probably benefit more from towers of salty water.
A system based on these principles wouldn't require energy in the form of electricity, despite the mention of photovoltaic cells. The energy needed to lift the brine to the collectors can be provided by the dilute solution leaving the collectors headed for the underground distillation section. More mass leaves the collectors than enters them, compensating for some energy lost to friction.
Given the effects of the salinity of the solution and the availability of solar energy for heat, I don't think the vacuum mentioned would need to play a major role in the distillation phase. The energy stored in the vacuum could be used for mechanical work. If additional energy is required, the heat provided by sunlight could be converted to mechanical work directly, for instance, by means of a stirling engine. Wind power, though not as predictable as the sun is also another option. I think a setup where people manually transfer the brine between open trays and fire driven stills would be feasible in some areas. This could be used to provide clean water for people in poverty stricken regions.
The problem with Dune's wind traps is that the dew point would need to be near the temperature of the cave walls. While this would work in some areas, I don't know if the ground is cold enough or the air moist enough everywhere for this to work year round. Though, in the desert, the temperature difference between night and day is significant. Additionally, digging large, stable underground caverns for this purpose requires a lot more advanced planning and labor than airlifting in equipment or dropping crates of salt with instructions.
Slashdot Mirror
If you're like me you probably type normal text faster than you can write it legibly.
For the plain text part, you'll probably want to stick with the computer.
For the equations, type in a cross reference id like "eq15a" and scribble the equation onto a small pad of paper and write the id in the margins.
At the end of the day you can just insert the equations into the computer at a leisurely pace.
Alternatively, learning shorthand might be allow you to take notes on pen & paper sufficiently fast. I haven't tried it myself yet but it seems promising.
If you have to go out of your way to work out you probably get sidetracked. Its easier if you have equipment nearby.
Let's start of with your residence. A jump rope and punching bag are relatively cheap and compact. The bag is also good for venting stress/anger/etc. Free weights will cost more than the rope and bag but take up less space and cost less than weight machines. Don't push yourself too much with those though.
As for the office, a pull up bar and a pilates ball are unobtrusive and won't distract your coworkers during use. The ball also doubles as a spare chair. You can also get a medicine ball to toss about in the hall or parking lot with your coworkers while brainstorming or just socializing. It's less likely to dent a car door or break a window than a baseball, football or frisbee. A soccer ball works well too, but tends to be more disruptive. Finally keep a duffel bag with running shoes clothes (don't forget socks and underpants) and a towel. You might also want to keep rinseless soap of some sort in there.
You could say that AWGs are just complicated dehumidifiers. This is a variation using a liquid desiccant to absorb moisture rather than using refrigeration to force dew formation. Neither are new concepts and there have even been proposals to use decorative water fountains and falls filled with brine as indoor dehumidifiers. The difference seems to be in the amount of infrastructure needed to support either type of system. The more self sufficient a device built for this purpose is, the more places it can be used. Most AWGs require a large amount of electricity to operate so while they might be practical for a military base in the desert, an impoverished community on the side of a mountain would probably benefit more from towers of salty water.
A system based on these principles wouldn't require energy in the form of electricity, despite the mention of photovoltaic cells. The energy needed to lift the brine to the collectors can be provided by the dilute solution leaving the collectors headed for the underground distillation section. More mass leaves the collectors than enters them, compensating for some energy lost to friction. Given the effects of the salinity of the solution and the availability of solar energy for heat, I don't think the vacuum mentioned would need to play a major role in the distillation phase. The energy stored in the vacuum could be used for mechanical work. If additional energy is required, the heat provided by sunlight could be converted to mechanical work directly, for instance, by means of a stirling engine. Wind power, though not as predictable as the sun is also another option. I think a setup where people manually transfer the brine between open trays and fire driven stills would be feasible in some areas. This could be used to provide clean water for people in poverty stricken regions. The problem with Dune's wind traps is that the dew point would need to be near the temperature of the cave walls. While this would work in some areas, I don't know if the ground is cold enough or the air moist enough everywhere for this to work year round. Though, in the desert, the temperature difference between night and day is significant. Additionally, digging large, stable underground caverns for this purpose requires a lot more advanced planning and labor than airlifting in equipment or dropping crates of salt with instructions.