I have always thought of myself as easily distracted – so much so, that I actually have implemented procedures into my life (particularly my work life) to help maintain (or, at least resume) focus. I am very aware of how technology (particularly portable devices) can pull my attention down a rabbit hole of lost time and productivity.
This article from the Guardian dives into our society and increasing lack of focus. I certainly agree with his observations – everywhere I look, I see people immersed in their phones and disengaged from their environment. That’s not the sole problem, but it is certainly a compelling symptom.
On the flip side, I’m currently reading Extreme Productivity, by Robert C. Pozen. Perhaps I can find some more clues about focus to help me recapture and control my own attention span.
The Simple Genious of the Interstate Highway System (Video). Started by Dwight D. Eisenhower after WWII, it was an economic necessity and is considered to be one of the most influential infrastructures in the country (in US history). The project was achieved at a cost of $8.5M/mile (2016 dollars) to construct, which increased to $34M/mile in the 1980s (2016 dollars). Starting in 1956, it took nearly 40 years to complete the entire system. This reduced the 62-day journey from coast to coast to 42 hours.
The logistics of a nationwide transportation system is an engineering and economic marvel. On the other hand, there were some significant non-monetary and hidden costs. Check out this video for more details. (20-minute video, but worth the time – grab a coffee and enjoy).
The concept of Pi as representing the circumference of a circle has been around for *thousands* of years. Isaac Newton revolutionized the concept as part of his development of Calculus.
Yes, this is very nerdy. But it’s also fascinating – the history of Pi, and how Isaac Newton revolutionized a concept that had been used for thousands of years.
The title of this 7-minute TEDEd video is “Can We Create the Perfect Farm?” As with a lot of future predictions, the techniques being proposed are already in production around the globe.
The video is correct – it will take global cooperative effort to succeed in adopting these practices as the norm, and it will also take consumer understanding and support of the agriculture industry’s efforts to be more sustainable and environmentally friendly while maintaining the production levels necessary to feed the world.
Contrary to pop-culture belief, the Agriculture industry is constantly looking for ways to improve – to use fewer resources, to produce a better product (grain, animals, etc.), and to be more efficient.
Ag Web has a terrific article about how farmers are using different ways to move toward carbon-neutral production; in this article, specifically livestock (pig, chicken, cow). The pork industry is looking toward a carbon-neutral pig by 2035 and the cattle industry is looking at 2050.
Pork production in the US contributes more than $23B to the economy, about 25% of which is exported and accounts for less than 1/2 of 1% of greenhouse gas emissions. Yet the pork industry continues to seek ways to improve efficiencies and reduce production resource needs.
Ag Web has a terrific article about how farmers are using different ways to move toward carbon-neutral production; in this article, specifically livestock (pig, chicken, cow). The pork industry is looking toward a carbon-neutral pig by 2035 and the cattle industry is looking at 2050.