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Two Minutes of Goats Yelling Like Humans
Nate BagleyThis is funnier than I thought it would be.
Spent Fuel Pool
Spent Fuel Pool
What if I took a swim in a typical spent nuclear fuel pool? Would I need to dive to actually experience a fatal amount of radiation? How long could I stay safely at the surface?
—Jonathan Bastien-Filiatrault
Assuming you’re a reasonably good swimmer, you could probably survive treading water anywhere from 10 to 40 hours. At that point, you would black out from fatigue and drown. This is also true for a pool without nuclear fuel in the bottom.
Spent fuel from nuclear reactors is highly radioactive. Water is good for both radiation shielding and cooling, so fuel is stored at the bottom of pools for a couple decades until it’s inert enough to be moved into dry casks. We haven’t really agreed on where to put those dry casks yet. One of these days we should probably figure that out.
Here’s the geometry of a typical fuel storage pool:
The heat wouldn't be a big problem. The water temperature in a fuel pool can in theory go as high as 50°C, but in practice they're generally between 25°C and 35°C—warmer than most pools but cooler than a hot tub.
For the kinds of radiation coming off spent nuclear fuel, every 7 centimeters of water cuts the amount of radiation in half.
The most highly radioactive fuel rods are those recently removed from a reactor. Based on the activity levels provided by Ontario Hydro in this report, this would be the region of danger for fresh fuel rods:
Swimming to the bottom, touching your elbows to a fresh fuel canister, and immediately swimming back up would probably be enough to kill you.
Yet outside the outer boundary, you could swim around as long as you wanted—the dose from the core would be less than the normal background dose you get walking around. In fact, as long as you were underwater, you would be shielded from most of that normal background dose. You may actually receive a lower dose of radiation treading water in a spent fuel pool than walking around on the street.
That’s if everything goes as planned. If there’s corrosion in the spent fuel rod casings, there may be some fission products in the water. They do a pretty good job of keeping the water clean, and it wouldn’t hurt you to swim in it, but it’s radioactive enough that it wouldn’t be legal to sell it as bottled water. (Which is too bad—it’d make a hell of an energy drink).
We know spent fuel pools can be safe to swim in because they’re routinely serviced by human divers.
However, these divers have to be careful.
On August 31st, 2010, a diver was servicing the spent fuel pool at the Leibstadt nuclear reactor in Switzerland. He spotted an unidentified length of tubing on the bottom of the pool and radioed his supervisor to ask what to do. He was told to put it in his tool basket, which he did. Due to bubble noise in the pool, he didn’t hear his radiation alarm.
When the tool basket was lifted from the water, the room’s radiation alarms went off. The basket was dropped back in the water and the diver left the pool. The diver’s dosimeter badges showed that he’d received a higher-than-normal whole-body dose, and the dose in his right hand was extremely high.
The object turned out to be protective tubing from a radiation monitor in the reactor core, made highly radioactive by neutron flux. It had been accidentally sheared off while a capsule was being closed in 2006. It sank to a remote corner of the pool floor, where it sat unnoticed for four years.
The tubing was so radioactive that if he’d tucked it into a tool belt or shoulder bag, where it sat close to his body, he could’ve been killed. As it was, the water protected him, and only his hand—a body part more resistant to radiation than the delicate internal organs—received a heavy dose.
So, as far as swimming safety goes, the bottom line is that you’d probably be ok, as long as you didn’t dive to the bottom or pick up anything strange.
But just to be sure, I got in touch with a friend of mine who works at a research reactor, and asked him what he thought would happen to you if you tried to swim in their radiation containment pool.
“In our reactor?” He thought about it for a moment. “You’d die pretty quickly, before reaching the water, from gunshot wounds.”
He’s the Computer Man!
Nate BagleyComputer Advertisment + 90's + Scat Man Parody = Gift From Internet Gods
A scary IT video circa 1998.
Are You Good Enough?
Nate BagleyA little something I wrote for Positively Positive.
By Nate Bagley
“I’m not good enough.”
At some point in our lives, we’ve all said it. We use these words to justify our fears and explain our insecurities or the reasons we don’t have the things we want most.
“I’m not good enough to be in a relationship.”
“I’m not good enough to get that job.”
“I’m not good enough to write that book.”
“I’m not good enough to record an album.”
“I’m not good enough [fill in the blank].”
These four vile words strip us of our personal value, our core identity, and any sense of purpose. They represent the epitome of the worst self-inflicted psychological diseases: self-pity.
“Certainly the most destructive vice, if you like, that a person can have. More than pride, which is supposedly the number one of the cardinal sins—is self-pity. Self-pity is the worst possible emotion anyone can have. And the most destructive. It is, to slightly paraphrase what Wilde said about hatred, and I think actually hatred’s a subset of self-pity and not the other way around: ‘It destroys everything around it, except itself.’”
Stephen Fry
It’s time to stop using the term “not good enough” to reinforce some deep-seeded belief that we are insufficient or incomplete. We cannot surrender control of our self-worth to someone else, especially to someone who likely doesn’t deserve or even want that power.
The word “good” is not synonymous with “intelligent,” “attractive,” “experienced,” or “funny.” On the contrary, “good” means worthy, excellent, or kind.
It’s time we realize that until we’re kind and excellent to ourselves and believe that we are worthy of the things we want from life, we’ll never be “good enough”—in our minds—for the rest of the world.
Four changes you can make to help you remain in control of your self worth:
1. Romantically pursue only those people who love you for exactly who and what you are and who consistently and positively push you to improve. Don’t invest in relationships where your partner makes you feel as if you don’t meet their minimum requirements for attraction, intelligence, or tolerability.
2. Work for a boss who will invest in you as a person and recognize your value. Granted, this isn’t always easy. It might mean you have to quit or ask to work on a different team or even file an HR complaint, but it’s worth the effort. When you enjoy your work environment, all areas of your life will improve. You will add happiness and years to your life. Plus, you get to spend at least eight hours a day with someone who loves having you around, as opposed to the alternative. Do not waste time driving yourself to madness working for a boss who is convinced you are incompetent.
3. In the times you start to feel the pit in your stomach of insufficiency or the cold sweats of worthlessness, change your body language. Chin up—literally. Put your shoulders back. Stand or sit up tall. Don’t cross your legs, fold your arms, or touch your face or neck. It’s known that your emotional mindset can affect your body language. However, your body language can also affect your mindset. When your body fakes confidence, strength, and poise, your mind begins to accept it.
4. Spend time with friends who make you want to live at your best. True friends make you feel appreciated and valued on your best and worst days. If there are relationships in your life that are draining of your energy or your self-worth, it’s time to make a change or say goodbye. Life is too short to feel empty and alone when surrounded by those who should fill you up with the most love.
My goal for you is to eradicate the “not good enough” mindset from your vocabulary and your way of thinking. Your value should be determined by the person staring at you in the mirror. No one else.
If you feel insufficient, ask for help from someone who loves you, find a mentor, take a class, set a goal that will help you grow. Throwing your hands in the air and surrendering to the “I’m not good enough” monster is no longer an option.
Nate Bagley is the Director of Communications at The Bold Academy, a life accelerator designed to maximize your human potential. Applications for Bold Academy San Francisco are now open. Nate also produces his own podcast that proves true love exists and how everyone can experience it. You can find it here or follow him on Twitter.
*Photo Credit: idleformat.
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Lookin’ Good
Some of you may dispute an item here or there, but otherwise I’m pretty sure this is accurate. -Ray
TweetIra Glass on Storytelling
Nate BagleyYup. I still love this.
Kinetic typography by David Shiyang Liu
Best of 2012: Playlists From NPR Music, Pitchfork, and More
Nate BagleyMore tunes for y'all.
The last 12 months of music have been amazing, with shooting stars bursting from pretty much every corner of the sonic universe. And when it’s such a stellar year for sounds, it’s certainly not easy to pick favorites.
Some of our Rdio Influencers have tackled the challenge to bring you the songs they consider the best in the galaxy:
Horrorshow
This year, Sydney’s hip-hop duo loved tunes from American counterparts like A$AP Rocky, Kendrick Lamar, and Brother Ali.Y La Bamba
Bassist Ben Meyercord picks his favorite full-length albums of the year from buzzed-about bands like Tame Impala, Purity Ring, and The Lumineers.Babydaddy
Scissor Sisters’ multi-instrumentalist shook what his mama gave him to the tune of Usher, Bat of Lashes, and even his own band.Rolling Stone
When it came to choose the singles of the year, the magazine turned to hitmakers like Van Halen, Usher, Maroon 5, and Taylor Swift.NPR Music
Take in 100 favorite songs of all flavors from the National Public Radio department of good tunes.Paste Magazine
Among the veteran publication’s 50 favorite songs of 2012 are diverse gems by Frank Ocean, Leonard Cohen, and Alabama Shakes.Consequence of Sound
What tracks not only represented 2012 but the act’s ability to grow into the next year? You’ll find them on Consequence of Sound’s top 50 songs mix.BuzzFeed
The pop culture enthusiasts spent the year appreciating new music by artists such as Fiona Apple, Ke$ha, Icona Pop, and Skrillex.PopMatters
Grimes, Plan B, and Taylor Swift battle it out for PopMatter's best songs of 2012.Pitchfork
2012 was a year for familiar faces but indie tastemakers Pitchfork scope out this year’s rising artists like Metz, AlunaGeorge, and Savages. Keep your eyes — and ears — open for these names in 2013.
A Trap is Set in “Neil’s Puppet Dreams”
Nate BagleyOne of my favorite things to come from Nerdist Industries as of late.
This week on Neil Patrick Harris’ Nerdist Channel series “Neil’s Puppet Dreams,” Puppet Chris Hansen shows up “To Catch a Puppeteer”… Neil, who’s apparently into non-traditional fabrication and isn’t, as he claims, a plumber. It’s only creepy if you… um… well, there’s no way this ISN’T creepy. We’ve got a runner!
Subscribe to the Nerdist Channel if you’re a consenting whatever.
Filmography 2012
Nate BagleyThis is some incredible editing. Some of these clips made me want to hunt down some new movies that I missed this year.
What are some of your favorite flicks from 2012?
Super Mario Beads 3
Nate BagleySome super impressive stop motion.
An epic suburban stop motion adventure by Marcus and Hannes Knutsson! Via digitalbuzz
The 5 Most Intentionally Funny Videos This Week 12/11
Nate BagleyThe Wallet and the Watch was my favorite this week.
Need to get the John Travolta & Olivia Newton John Christmas duet out of your head? Need to forget that you could buy an attachment to your bike that makes it sound like a clopping horse? We’re not sure if this would be the cure for it, but this week’s 5 Most Intentionally Funny Videos distracted me from getting songs caught on repeat or spending money on stuff I absolutely don’t need.
1. Albert Brooks completely falsifies his stories on Letterman in the best way ever.
2. Eric Andre helps Attack of the Show possibly end in style as he gets naked on cable TV.
3. Chris Gethard attempts to cement his fame by getting his headshot in local businesses.
4. Bill Murray reenacts what he likes to do on late night TV every Christmas, just like the rest of us would.
5. Submitted: Free Comedy! shows why it might not be a good idea to mug an actual magician, especially if it’s Tom Shillue.
Per usual, I’m taking submissions for the 5 MIFV every week like the one featured above. Same rules still apply.
-E-mail embeddable video link to thecomedybureau@gmail.com with subject line “5 MIFV Submission”
-Submit by the end of the upcoming Monday (which would be 12/17)
-Videos must be posted online (i.e. have a time stamp that says so) between now 12/11 and the end of Monday 12/17
-Don’t add any cover letters or explanations; please just send the link.
Dec 5 2012
Nate BagleyThis dude talks in his sleep, and it's pretty hilarious. I like to drop in every so often and listen to a few clips. My personal favorite today? "My ass and my personality are the same thing. Huge, and in your face."
Wednesday Rewind"Everybody wriggle. Everybody wriggle. It's maggot mayhem."
or click here"My ass and my personality are the same thing. Huge and in your face."
This quote has actually become far more relevant than it was when STM muttered it almost three years ago. These days, Adam is an avid fisherman, and we frequently have boxes of wriggling little maggots around the house. He's even found an online shop that ships them to you. That package did NOT go down well at work.
or click here
100 Songs for 2012
Nate BagleySome cool tunes on this playlist. Enjoy.
(1) Japandroids – “The House that Heaven Built”
(2) Carly Rae Jepsen – “Call Me Maybe”
(3) CHVRCHES – “The Mother We Share”
(4) Tanlines – “Brothers”
(5) Trails and Ways – “Mtn Tune”
(6) The Shins – “Simple Song”
(7) Kitten Berry Crunch – “Black and Blue”
(8) Blur – “Under the Westway”
(9) HAIM – “Forever”
(10) Passion Pit – “Love is Greed”
(11) Cloud Nothings – “Stay Useless”
(12) The Very Best – “Kondaine”
(13) The Mowgli’s – “San Francisco”
(14) Cher Lloyd – “Want U Back”
(15) Of Monsters and Men – “Little Talks”
(16) Bruce Springsteen – “Wrecking Ball”
(17) The Coup – “The Magic Clap”
(18) Icona Pop – “I Love It”
(19) Taylor Swift – “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together”
(20) Purity Ring – “Fineshrine”
(21) Van She – “Idea of Happiness”
(22) Elite Gymnastics – “Andreja 4-Ever”
(23) Niki & The Dove – “Tomorrow”
(24) Charli XCX – “You’re the One”
(25) Gaslight Anthem – “45”
(26) Scissor Sisters – “Baby Come Home”
(27) Young Galaxy – “Youth is Wasted on the Young”
(28) Tanlines – “All of Me”
(29) Japandroids – “Adrenaline Nightshift”
(30) BBU – “The Hood”
(31) Gaslight Anthem – “Here Comes My Man”
(32) Young Galaxy – “Shoreless Kid”
(33) Scissor Sisters – “San Luis Obispo”
(34) Generationals – “Lucky Numbers”
(35) Charli XCX – “Stay Away”
(36) Superchunk – “This Summer”
(37) Sourpatch – “Cynthia Ann”
(38) Chairlift – “I Belong In Your Arms”
(39) Kitten – “Cut It Out”
(40) Black Light Dinner Party – “Older Together”
(41) HAIM – “Don’t Save Me”
(42) Frank Ocean – “Sweet Life”
(43) Mountain Goats – “The Diaz Brothers”
(44) AC Newman – “There’s Money In New Wave”
(45) Carly Rae Jepsen – “Turn Me Up”
(46) Alabama Shakes – “Hold On”
(47) Trails and Ways – “Nunca”
(48) Metric – “Breathing Underwater”
(49) Kotki Dwa – “Poison”
(50) The Killers – “Runaways”
(51) Passion Pit – “It’s Not My Fault, I’m Happy”
(52) Kate Boy – “Northern Lights”
(53) CHVRCHES - “Lies”
(54) Solange – “Losing You”
(55) Muse – “Madness”
(56) Mountain Goats – “Harlem Roulette”
(57) Allo Darlin’ – “Capricornia”
(58) AC Newman – “Not Talking”
(59)Jessie Ware – “Wildest Moments”
(60)Tegan and Sara – “Closer”
(61) Frank Ocean - “Pyramids”
(62) Taylor Swift - “22”
(63) Palma Violets - “Best of Friends”
(64) Chromatics – “Kill For Love”
(65) Santigold – “The Keepers”
(66) Ellie Goulding – “Anything Could Happen”
(67) Fun. – “Out on the Town”
(68) Free Energy – “Electric Fever”
(69) Foxy Shazam – “Holy Touch”
(70) Miike Snow – “God Help This Divorce”
(71) Santigold – “The Riot’s Gone”
(72) Waxahatchee – “Grass Stain”
(73) Yellow Ostrich – “Stay at Home”
(74) The Shins – “It’s Only Life”
(75) The Henry Clay People – “Hide”
(76) The Coup – “The Guillotine”
(77) Crystal Castles – “Affection”
(78) Shout Out Louds - “Blue Ice”
(79) Kate Boy - “In Your Eyes”
(80) Wintersleep – “In Came the Flood”
(81) Aimee Mann – “Charmer”
(82) Seye – “White Noise”
(83) Tilly and the Wall – “Static Expressions”
(84) Earlimart – “10 Years”
(85) Grass Widow – “Disappearing Industries”
(86) Stars – “The Theory of Relativity”
(87) Youngblood Hawke – “We Come Running”
(88) Titus Andronicus – “Upon Viewing Oregon’s Landscape With the Flood of Detritus”
(89) Craig Finn – “No Future”
(90) Dr. Dog – “Lonesome”
(91)Tame Impala – “Feels Like We Only Go Backward”
(92) Saturday Looks Good to Me – “Sunglasses”
(93) Prince – “RNR Affair”
(94) Islands – “Hallways”
(95) Mika – “Overrated”
(96) MØ - “Pilgrim”
(97) Summer Heart – “I Wanna Go”
(98) Anthony Hamilton – “Home By Five”
(99) Saint Lou Lou – “Maybe You”
(100) The Killers – “From Here On Out”
Why Doesn’t MTV Play Music Videos Anymore?
Nate BagleyPretty funny explanation of why UVU doesn't play music videos anymore.
That's My Captain, Jean-Luc Picard
Photo: Twitter
If you don't recognize the names and faces then the two people involved here are Sir Patrick Stewart and LeVar Burton. Stewart and Burton both played lead characters on Stark Trek: The Next Generation. Stewart was Captain Jean-Luc Picard and Burton was Lt. Commander Geordi La Forge. If you still don't recognize them by now, well then you are a lost soul. Star Trek guy with a VISOR ring a bell?
In the image above you can see that Burton retweeting a picture of Stewart getting tangled in Christmas lights. It's good to see that the actors still have a friendly rapport and that there characters still mean something to them. Star Trek geeks, rejoice!
Via The Monica Bird