The Solarcan Puck is a great little reusable solargraphy camera. It has a relatively wide aperture (f/90), so it can create a decent image in a single day. The limitation is that it has (for a camera of this type) a relatively narrow field of view - about 120 degrees. This means that if you have it mounted vertically, you are going to be able to record angles up to 60 degrees above the horizon. This is fine if you are above about 50 degrees latitude. At about 50 degrees, the sun will never be higher than about 60 degrees above the horizon. Why that value? Probably because of where Solarcan are based: in Scotland. What do the the rest of the world have to do then? You can restrict yourself to winter months - but that is not much fun. The other alternative is to angle your Puck upwards. But how far? In the worst case, on the Equator, the sun will be directly overhead at Solstice. This means that the Puck will have to be angled upwards at least 30 degrees - but this would mean tha
Who knew that this stilted view of economics was so prevalent among the voting public? Now we are going to need to vote ourselves extraordinary powers just to stay in office.
ReplyDeleteStephen Gunnell It’s not so much a stilted view of economics but one of belief in what the function of government ought to be. Those who believe in a minimal state would limit government spending to defence, the police and the judiciary. Anything else being personal.
ReplyDeleteAh yes, grind everyone down into poverty while spending big on the means to control the masses. Funny how this looks exactly like British policy in the 1770s.
ReplyDeleteStephen Gunnell and through most of the 19th century too. It's not a new political idea. As an alternative to anarchy it had some merit.
ReplyDeleteL Gorrie in a minimal state those services would be provided by private enterprise (or religious/philanthropic/co-operative organisations)
I think most models of government have thankfully evolved beyond this.
The idea had a revival in the 1970's after the publication of Robert Nozicks book "Anarchy, State, and Utopia".
ReplyDelete