RobiNZ Personal Blog

Traffic Light Thought–Darwin Fish and Traffic Theory

Nice to see science based car badging on the morning commute. My FSM Fiat was following a Honda Jazz with a Darwin Fish badge down Rosebank Rd. It helped provide a data point for my hypothesis that light controlled motorway on ramps are the only time you should choose to follow trucks. The lights release one vehicle per green but a truck represents 2-5 cars depending on size and trailer. That’s how the FSM Fiat beat the Darwin Fish Jazz… to the queue on the motorway itself. Read more →

Time for that Flu jab

Good to see so many getting the influenza vaccination at work this week. I’m reminded what harm ‘a bit of flu’ can do, when passing this memorial, walking the dog in Waikumete Cemetery. Read more →

Traffic Light Thought–Commuting and The Greatest Story Ever Told…SO FAR @joerogan @LKrauss1

Traffic was lousy this morning, in part due to the wet weather, but I really didn’t care. I had downloaded Joe Rogan’s latest podcast featuring theoretical physicist Prof. Lawrence M. Krauss*. The topic was (nominally) his latest book—The Greatest Story Ever Told…SO FAR—but the discussion was wide ranging and fascinating. It went something like: Symmetry and what it means in this universe A plain language explanation of Gauge Theory Universal laws and impacts of them on our place in the universe The Higgs field and what it really means Life and evolution The evolution of religion, why it exists Progress... Read more →

Scientology and Me–Attending the Auckland Real Org opening Jan 2017

Curiosity about changes to a historic building, an interest in a ‘religion’ (cult?) and the “Oh No, Ross & Carrie” podcast led me to a rather strange place. I attended the opening of the Auckland Scientology Real Org on January 22 2017. I wrote most of this post at the time but withheld publishing to see if there was any follow up from the Scientologists. They have a reputation for their eagerness to attract new members and reluctance to losing existing ones. Well over a year later apart from one rather odd text, and me noticing them campaigning in public... Read more →

Skeptical Cycling in Queenstown?

I just signed up for the NZ Skeptics Conference 2016, Queenstown, 2nd-4th December but will be staying a bit longer for some heli-biking or similar adventures. Skeptics Conference 2016 - conference.skeptics.nz We have lined up some amazing speakers from the USA and Australia, as well as home grown talent from around New Zealand. Andrew Digby, Mark Hanna, Tania Lineham, Scott Kennedy, Mark Bryan, Catherine Low, Loretta Marron (AU), Richard Saunders (AU), Susan Gerbic (US) New Zealand from Yeti Cycles on Vimeo. Filmed by: John Reynolds Directed by: Craig Grant Riders: Shaun O' Connor & Kashi Leuchs Music: "Capture the Flag"... Read more →

My (and Jonathan @torpidkiwi ‘s) Lotto experiment

Last Sunday I saw a tweet from Jonathan giving this Saturdays winning Lotto numbers #SpoilerAlert Next Saturday’s Lotto numbers are: 3, 5, 16, 22, 37, 39, 43; bonus number: 7; Powerball number: 4— Jonathan Bell (@torpidkiwi) June 12, 2016 I jokingly replied what if they won? @jbellnz1 would be so funny if they are...— Robin Capper (@robincapper) June 12, 2016 He said wouldn’t be getting a Ticket so I thought, just in case, I should. You can’t buy 43 (there are only 40 numbers) but I got all the rest along with the all important ($20 million this week) Powerball... Read more →

Another reason to go to Queenstown

Seems the NZ Skeptics Conference “will be held somewhere in Queenstown on the first weekend of December, 2016”. Might take my mountain bike (or rent one there) to experience some more* of this! NEW ZEALAND. PROVEN HERE. from Yeti Cycles on Vimeo. * I’ve only done some remote metal road riding in the Von Valley (left) and a part day single track ride down Skippers Canyon (right). Read more →

Sam Harris on food ethics, biodoom, Trump and more

A great, albeit long, discussion with Sam Harris on "The Joe Rogan Experience" episode entitled "#804 - Sam Harris Thursday, 02 June 2016 1:02 PM " The discussion on food ethics, at what point does killing to eat become acceptable, and the antibiotic disaster we're facing is interesting. Add to that a great analysis of the Trump phenomena. You can listen to it directly here: http://traffic.libsyn.com/joeroganexp/p804.mp3; View the podcast's website from here http://blog.joerogan.net/ Read more →

About the "Food Babe"

Written by a analytical chemist with a background in forensics and toxicology. The "Food Babe" Blogger Is Full of Shit - gawker.com Filed for reference Read more →

NZ Herald, the zero research newspaper @nzherald

So I see this story on the NZ Herald site about a man who took a photo of a strange object in the sky over Fendalton Rd, Christchurch: Man discovers photo of strange object on phone - www.nzherald.co.nz They even ask “Is it a bird? Is it a plane? Or an alien life form?” and said “The New Zealand Defence Force has been contacted to see if the UFO was an object included in a training exercise.” . The article also has a zoomed in photo revealing the numbers “s 150 c” Two minutes on Google Street view is obviously... Read more →