Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with light

What lightweight but powerful laptop should I buy?

bkudria — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 16:36:10 -0800

Which light-weight yet powerful laptop should I buy? I like the Sony Vaio Z, followed by the MB Air and the Thinkpad X200. Am I missing any models? I'm looking to replace my current work laptop - I use it for web development, so I need to be able to run Apache, MySQL, PHP, and some other stuff. I also use Chrome pretty heavily, and of course I watch a DVD every now and then, play music, etc. I don't run an office suite or play any games.

I carry my laptop to and from work every day, and my current HP is pretty heavy, so I am looking to buy the lightest laptop possible that still has a real CPU (e.g. no Atom, ULV, etc). I don't want anything at all resembling a "netbook". What I'm not considering at the moment is price - I'm happy to pay extra for a nicer, lighter, laptop.

At the moment, the best option I could find is the Sony VAIO Z-series. It weighs 3.3 pounds, not the lightest on my list, but it has a nice CPU (a T9900 @ 3.06 GHz). The MB Air is 0.3lbs lighter, but the CPU clocks in at 2.13 GHz and as expected does slightly worse in benchmarks. The Z also has a higher-res screen. I use an additional external monitor, but it is a nice extra. The Lenovo Thinkpad X200 and X200s are lighter even than the MB Air, but have even smaller screens and slower CPUs.

(Note: I am aware of the Z's in-BIOS VT block. I have no problems with patching the BIOS to work around this. I don't consider it a downside.)

Additional details: I plan on running Linux, so gross Linux incompatibilities are a no-go, but I think I can handle anything merely pedestrian. Also, I plan on swapping out the HDD with an SSD some point in the future, so if that has any bearing on anything, I'd love to know. I'm still in the research phase for that.

In short: I want a light yet powerful high-quality workhorse laptop. The VAIO Z looks to be a good balance.

My question: Am I missing anything in my analysis? Do any of these laptops have any glaring flaws? Are there any other models that have solid build quality and similar or better specs?

Thanks!

You are not my quantum mechanic

Kid Charlemagne — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 07:57:42 -0800

I'm looking for something like Feynman's explanation for how a difraction grating works only for the absorbance of a colored chemical in solution. In biochemistry there is a technique where one measures protein concentration by looking at how much UV light the protein absorbs. Unfortunatly this technique doesn't see agregates (big blobs of amorphous protein) the same way it sees properly folded protein in solution.

The traditional explanation has to do with things being in the shadow of other things. But recently I've heard people making arguments about the wavelength of the light and how big the particles are. I can tell that both sides are way off base in terms of modern physics.

Can anyone point me at something that would explain this phenomenon the way it really happens, but with out too much (any) tensor calculus?

Last thing I need is more car trouble...

special-k — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 19:21:37 -0800

Why did my Subaru outback lose power steering on this rainy night? My car is a Subaru Outback, 2000.

I drove to work in torrential rain on a flooded, hilly highway (Hwy 17 in N. California). The car handled perfectly fine both ways but something weird happened on the way home. Right after I came down the hill, both my brake system warning light and my charge warning light came on. It also became very difficult to steer. Luckily, I was close to a left lane exit and I pulled off safely and parked.

Turned off the engine, waited and turned it back on but both lights were still on and it was still impossible to steer. I had to wait 45 minutes for a ride and the situation did not improve over that time. The car starts just fine, and I am able to move forward and backward, just can't steer.

What happened? Two things to consider:

a) I had my car last checked by a Subaru specialist in June. I had my head gaskets replaced and had him look over everything. Nothing obvious was wrong at that time.

b) My car has been fine since then.

c) I also drove through several deep puddles today (much of the hwy was flooded).

My car is fine overnight but I will have to get it towed first thing tomorrow. Did I snap something simple like a belt, in which case I can just tow it somewhere local and get it replaced right away. OR Is this something more complicated that I should just get it towed to my Subaru guy (25 miles away, harder to retrieve car etc)?

I appreciate any advice to minimize the inconvenience.

Options for a small & cheap Mac laptop?

attercoppe — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 14:01:07 -0800

What are my options for a cheap, small Mac laptop? I'm on a tight budget, but would love to get a laptop. I've been looking at netbooks because I love the light weight and small size. However, I may be about to get a job at my school, which basically is an Apple campus, so now I'm considering a Mac instead. I'd still like to find something cheap, small and light, and with some serious battery life. Of course one option is to buy a used or refurbed Mac (maybe an Air?). Could I also buy a netbook and install OS X? Or install some *nix - how compatible (not look and feel but interoperability) would this be?

P.S. I could probably do some research and get some good info, but I thought I'd see what ya'll can tell me first. I've read other questions here, and they seem to be either out of date or about desktops (or both).

It's so very, very cold...

bolognius maximus — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 10:26:20 -0800

I have an uninsulated sunroom that gets pretty chilly in the winter, and want to make it so that it is at least room temp. and can be used for plants (without breaking the bank). Any ideas? My house has a sunroom that was built on to it, and I would like to use this room like a greenhouse for my houseplants. It isn't really insulated, and it has 3 very large windows and a sliding glass door. The floor is ceramic tile. I would like to not send my electric bill sky-high. I usually have to keep the door between the living room and sun room closed from late October until about March or April, because I am in Indiana where it is so cold (and it sucks) and cranks up my heating bill.

My idea was to use Gila Heat Control Light window film, to keep heat in. Then I wanted to use free-standing plant lights of some sort (so I don't have to drill holes, if I don't have to).

Does anyone have any ideas about how to best accomplish this? Has anyone tried any of the Gila films on their windows? Can anyone recommend a plant light? Thanks in advance.

Help me find a light graffiti machine

citybuddha — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 09:24:01 -0800

While in various locales I have seen what what appear to be advertisments or graffiti that appears to be light generated that is projected onto a wall. I would like to use this technology for a sign for my business. I am not able to find anything with my google talents. Can someone point me in the right direction to locate and price this technology?

What equipment do I need to take clear photographs of 2d artwork from above?

Nonce — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 18:52:04 -0800

What equipment do I need to take clear photographs of 2-d artwork from above? I'd like to keep costs low (under $200). The artwork would range in size, but some would be what I would consider pretty big (30" or perhaps more).

I found this DIY camera stand online.

I also found mention of tripods that can be used to shoot straight down.

Any specific model recommendations of tripod? Or particular models of old studio/copy stands that I should poke around and try to find online used?

Also, what inexpensive light source will give me good results? These bulbs seem to have a good color temperature and high CRI, but I don't know if that actually makes them an appropriate choice.

Two bulbs, one switch

furtive — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 15:27:44 -0800

Can I wire two light switches into one switch? I have two light switches in one plate. The left one lights the bathroom above the mirror, the right one lights above the toilet/shower. We'd like to make this one single switch since we find there is no need to have separate switches.

Is it as simple as putting both sets of wires into one switch? What should I be checking first? They are on the same fuse. Can you buy a plate that's double wide but only accommodates one switch?

My level of skill: I once cooked a hot dog using two nails attached to an old electrical plug, and managed to short the grade four classroom at the same time.

Too bad I don't have a vintage cat...

kathrineg — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 13:46:52 -0800

What should I do with this awesome vintage cat carrier? As you can see, the top is transparent and there are ventilation holes on both sides. Th pattern is a small houndstooth.

I might be able to get an identical one and have a pair...

Its dimensions are:

H: 11"
W: 17"
D: 8.5"

I was thinking about making it into a light fixture, but what bulbs would be cool enough to ensure it's not a fire hazard?

Make a little birdhouse in your soul

anastasiav — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 13:53:21 -0800

I'm looking for a nightlight that could fit the description of the nightlight in the song Birdhouse in your Soul by They Might Be Giants. Ideas? Blue canary, "in the outlet by the light switch" (ie: that plugs directly into the wall). All I can find are stained glass ones, but I want something that is styled for a child's room.

Will LED light therapy help reverse all over sun damaged skin?

Anonymous — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 06:35:33 -0800

Old sun-damaged skin all over my body--is it tilting at windmills to consider light therapy? I am older than most of you--I am 58. I used to live in Florida and I tanned a lot during my young adult years. I had always heard that sun damage was "cumlative" but I didn't really see the effects of all that tanning until last year when all my exposed skin turned wrinkly. It is kind of shocking. I feel like I only can look good now if I am covered practically head to toe. My hands are the worst, but the problem is everywhere on all exposed skin. My skin looks about 10-15 years older than I am...and I am serious that it accelerated during last year. I don't have a lot of money, but if there was any value in trying light therapy I would. In attempting to do an online search for correcting sun damage there are mountains of products and "advice" that I can't begin to determine as scam or hype. How can I find out the success rate on something like this?
http://www.light-therapy-led.com/products.htm

Fill my brain with mindless stories!

cgg — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 09:42:19 -0800

7 days poolside... I need books! Tell me what to buy! We're off to an all-inclusive in Cabo next month, and my plan is rest and relaxation. I'm going all-out tourist and am planning to spend my days tipsy and by the pool, reading and lounging about. Trouble is, I need books!

When I read, I read for mindless escapism -- I don't want to have to think. Funny is good, but not necessary. Previous authors I've enjoyed and exhausted include everything from Janet Evanovich, Marian Keyes, Iris Johansen, Carl Hiaasen, and even John Grisham, for what it is (or isn't) worth. The geek in me is currently working through Douglas Coupland's books, but I'm finding them hit-and-miss (loved JPod and Microserfs, the rest I'm kinda meh about so far). I also like biographies of funny people/comedians, although I've probably read most of who I'd be interested in.

I'm guess I'm usually drawn to the lighter mystery or drama type books, or even a legal thriller. I *do not* like fantasy or sci-fi; I prefer things that are at least vaguely plausible in my mind. I'm definitely not a girly-girl, so I'm not sure about the whole shopoholic series, but I might give it a go for lack of better options. Like I said -- I don't plan on thinking all that much :)

So, awesome people of the metafilter universe, what else should I add to my reading library? Bonus points if it's readily available in paperback at Chapters (the Canadian equivalent of a Barnes&Noble).

Pimp My Bike!

Juliet Banana — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 13:11:38 -0800

I'm about to go on a bike accessory spending spree, and I wanted input on the most impenetrable locks, the most stylish helmets, and on everything from baskets to bells to headlights. I also would welcome any input on the best way to light a bike frame using electroluminescent wire. HELMET: After considering Nutcase Helmets and this hilarious derby hat helmet and wishing the Yakkay helmets were available in the US, I'm almost decided on the Bern Watts. I can't shake the feeling that I'm missing something really cool in the thousands of helmets out there, though; have you ever seen a helmet that looks so cool you actually want to wear it?

LOCK: U-locks are still the gold standard, right? Does it matter if it's actually a Kryptonite?

HEADLIGHT AND TAILLIGHT: These are required by law and safety, but I still want them to look good, you know? Am I going to regret not getting some crazy expensive bulky high powered light when I'm squinting into the pitch or getting run over from behind? Chicago is pretty well-lit; do I really need a eye-scorching headlight if I never ride trails?

BASKETS, BELLS, HELL, MAYBE EVEN STREAMERS: These are just for fun, so if you've found anything particularly awesome or cute, hook it up.

EL WIRE: It seems like most people trot this out only for Burning Man, but I honestly would like to keep something like this wrapped around my frame 24/7 and turn it on for night rides. Does anyone have any ideas of how to keep an inverter attached, dry, and preferably unpilfered? I would need to be able to detach it to replace the batteries and in case it started pouring. The best idea I've had so far is to velcro the inverter underneath my hollow banana seat, but I'm not sure how to keep it safe from the spray from my un-fendered back wheel; maybe a velcro-attached piece of vinyl? Shrink-wrap?

THE BASIC BACKGROUND: The most important things to me are one, safety, and two, style. I want things that will help me not get killed and look really slick while doing it. I am not athletic and the most competitive event I'm going to take part in on my bike are Eat, Drink, and Ride Bikes pub crawls. If I cared about speed or mileage or whatever people like Matt Haughey worry about, I would not be riding a single speed knock-off Schwinn Stingray from the 1960s with a cruiser brake. I ride my bike to have fun and get from Point A to Point B.

WHERE ARE THE TRITIUM SPHERES?!?!

Phyltre — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 12:03:12 -0800

Who regularly sells 10-18mm tritium spheres (pictured at bottom), and where can I buy them reliably? For the past six years or so I've seen group-buys on flashlight forums for tritium spheres. They are basically a plastic/resin shell, somewhat lens-like, filled with tritium gas. Simple tritium fobs, sometimes called "Trasers," are relatively easy to find--but I have never seen an actual site selling tritium spheres. The design hasn't changed, which leads me to believe there is a constant supply of these spheres going somewhere for some purpose that is not readily apparent. (Tritium fobs are basically safe radioactive gas sealed inside a vial coated with material that glows when it is hit by radioation. They glow in the dark without the need for external light, for a minimum of ten years and possibly far longer.)

You can see the product in a group-buy image here. They are the glowing spheres near the top. My question is, WHERE are they coming from? I have seen them for sale in forums and nowhere else. I don't think some dude could make them in his basement, you need industrial equipment (and at least moderately pressurized/sealed tritium gas) to form clear plastics like that.

I never catch wind of the group buys on time and I'd rather not offend the poster (he is a mod there) by asking for his source (to circumvent him, basically.) In fact I wouldn't mention his thread at all if I could find any other links to them. Does anyone know where the heck these things are available?

Does one 200 watt bulb put out as much or more light than ten 20 watt bulbs?

leemajors — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 02:26:17 -0800

Does one 200 watt bulb put out as much or more light than ten 20 watt bulbs? We were sitting in a bar the other day and there was a lamp on the table with a 200 watt bulb. Above us, were lots of lamps, each one considerably less bright than the lamp on our table but it got us to thinking: would the collection of lamps above us put out the same amount of light as the one lamp on our table? I

What do you call the sun shining through clouds?

Kraftmatic Adjustable Cheese — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 09:17:57 -0800

What is the term for the depiction in art of the sun's rays shining through or behind clouds? This phenomenon. Sometimes believed to be a form of theophany. Wikipedia has an article about it, but I can't remember the name to look it up. Thank you.

I'd like my floor lamps to be more attractive than lightbulbs lying on the floor.

pemberkins — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 21:32:17 -0800

Help me turn a blindingly bright LED tube into a functional and decorative floor lamp! I have two LED tubes (that look vaguely like these, are about three feet long, and have a couple feet of power cord at one end). I would love to turn these into floor lamps. They're pretty blinding on their own, so some sort of lamp shade is in order. So, my questions...

1) What kind of lamp shade should I use for these? I'm happy to buy one (preferably on the cheap) or make one, but it needs to cover the whole tube.

2) What can I use for a base to get the tubes to stand upright on the floor?

Thanks!

How do I grow food in my shady apartment?

Lord_Pall — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 08:03:13 -0800

How do I grow food and be more sustainable in a shady city apartment? So we live in a ground floor apartment in Marina Del Rey. We're near the water so the temperature is pretty stable.

We're ground floor, facing a courtyard. We have a sizeable outdoor area that backs up on a shared courtyard. Figure 15X10 worth of usable floor space.

We get VERY little sun. Like an hour or 2 max in summer. Due to sprinklers and the location, it's quite humid too.

I can't do much or any growing inside since we have voracious cats who will eat all they can get their paws on.

Outside we've got tomatoes growing, but they're not too happy. They're growing out into the courtyard to try to find sun.. Herbs sorta grow as well in containers.

So how do I successfully grow vegetables or other foods?

I'm thinking about getting some grow-lights to supplant the low sun content. Downside is that most grow-lights dont work outside, plus the energy consumption is batshit insane if it's not a cfl or led.

Is this a good idea? Should I keep the plants out on the patio and use a grow-light during the day to help? Move it inside when it's done?

Should I convert the outdoor closet into a mini grow-room where I can blast out the light as needed?

Do the energy costs with running grow-lights defeat the idea of sustainability?

I'm less concerned about the footprint, and more concerned about raw cost.. heh

Any pointers or ideas on how to turn this shady space into a food-generating or more self sufficient space?

Light switch making popping noise.

feathermeat — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 06:33:45 -0800

Calling all MeFi electricians: why does my light switch make a popping noise, and will it kill me? I have a light switch in my kitchen that intermittently makes a small popping noise when turned on or off. Usually it'll happen a few times in a row, and then not happen again for several weeks. I have not experienced any flickering/dimming of the light in questions and I have not seen any sparks. There have been a few times when it's happened and I have smelled a little bit of ozone (at least I think it's ozone). I have tried to google this, and it seems like the answers range from "this is going to start a fire, call an electrician immediately" to "the switch is going to stop working eventually, but it's not a safety hazard, so replace it whenever." I don't mind replacing the switch if that is what's needed, but money is tight enough so that I really, REALLY don't want to call an electrician if this is not a big deal.

E10... G14... 5V... 1W... Bingo!! Help me find this bulb.

SquidLips — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 10:17:34 -0800

Please help me find replacement light bulbs for my gadget. Some time ago I purchased two USB Lava Lamps from ThinkGeek. The lights have since burnt out and I cannot seem to find replacements.

The base lists the replacement bulbs: E10 G14 5V 1W. E10 is the base, 5V 1W are obvious, but I'm not sure what G14 is - not really relevant to the question but would be interesting to know. I've tried Radio Shack and local hardware stores with no luck. Googling gives me nothing but overseas sites that simply want you to mail them for more information, and a couple that offer online ordering but with a minimum of 1000 pieces... a little overkill for my needs.

Does anyone know where I could get a small supply of these online (from a domestic supplier), or for bonus points, someplace local to the Minneapolis area that carries them in-store?

Super Bonus Points if a source also supplies LED versions. I'm pretty sure they wouldn't work as well because the little sparklies are moved around by the heating quality of the light bulb, but I'd be interested in trying it nonetheless just to see the result.

Can't believe I'm wasting my 1 weekly question on this, but...

newfers — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 18:53:19 -0800

Where can I buy THIS offensive Jesus light switch? I love this silly item, and my wife does as well (growing up Catholic warped us in far too many ways), so where can I possibly find one (or 10!) for sale?

In the dark about my light bulbs

emumimic — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 07:16:31 -0800

Why do the glass parts of my light bulbs keep separating from the metal? New homeowner here. So far, in less than a month, three burnt out light bulbs have just slid out of the sockets, leaving behind the threaded metal part. I know about the potato trick, but there's no broken glass left behind. I found this question that seems to describe my problem, and tried this solution (didn't work, although it seemed promising at first), and I've already broken two fixtures trying to get these bulbs out (sigh).

At this point, I'm less concerned about how to fix what's already happened, and more interested in WHY it's happening so that I can keep it from happening again. It may be noteworthy that once I can get the metal part to twist out, a powder comes out (like a corroded battery). Is it the wiring? The fixtures (the house is about 30 years old, and the two fixtures I've had problems with (so far) seem to be original or nearly so)? Just old bulbs? Would it help to change them all right now?

Put a "star" on our "tree"!

siclik — Wed, 20 May 2009 11:24:12 -0800

Your suggestions for lighting the top of a 50 ft. sculpture being displayed at our state fair? I work for a manufacturing company that is manufacturing and donating a 50 foot tall metal sculpture, to be displayed at our state fair later this summer. I can't give away too much as we've agreed not to disclose any sensitive information yet, but picture a tall steel structure: 50 ft. tall, base has a 40 ft. diameter. The sculpture consists of three separate structures, coming together to form one larger structure (i know it's vague, but the "3" is important).

At first, we thought of putting different colored LEDs (right, white, blue) on the top of each of the smaller structures so they would come together at the top and form a "flame" of sorts.

Then I thought about doing something like this but thought it would look pretty silly in the day light and I'm not sure how well it would hold up to heavy winds 50 ft. up.

Now, we're considering mounting different colored laser lights (perhaps moving) at the top so people all around the fairgrounds can spot the sculpture.

Your thoughts? We're in Oregon and would really appreciate any input that you can provide. Specific suppliers in our area would be great, if possible.

The Smell That Came from the Walls!

DavidNYC — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 00:46:20 -0800

A terrible, B.O.-like smell emanates from a room in our house at odd intervals. I have a half-baked theory, which we seem to have confirmed tonight. Is it at all plausible? If yes, what can we do about it? If not, what else could it be? First, to dispense with the obvious, no, I swear, it is neither myself nor my lovely wife who is the source of this smell, nor does it appear to be coming from anything we own. And it seems to come and go unpredictably - it might be months between assaults.

One friend suggested it might be a dead, decaying rodent inside the walls. But that wouldn't explain the on-off nature of the problem. However, I did notice something. Ordinarily, the incandescent, single-bulb floor lamp in the room is turned to 50 watts. Sometimes, when I need more light, I'll turn it up to 100 watts. (It's one of those three-way bulbs.) The appearance of the smell seems to correlate with the brighter light!

So could it be that a dead rat is getting fried a little extra-crispy whenever I crank up the juice? We've never had a rodent or even a roach problem, though. So could it be something else inside the walls - perhaps even the wiring itself? Do any common building materials smell like B.O. when they heat or burn? (We live in a regular old apartment building - I couldn't tell you what's inside the walls, or even what they're made of, but they ain't too thick.) Also, I checked - there's nothing actually inside the lamp that I can see which is smoking/burning (like a dead bug).

We tested out my theory tonight and indeed, the room started to smell after just a few minutes. (We turned down the light before it could get too pungent - the smell can have some serious staying power.) So, is my theory totally cockamamie? If I'm wrong, what might it be? And regardless, is there anything we can do to abate the problem, short of ripping open the walls?

How can i get rid of my white panda eyes after a skiing holiday?

freddymetz — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 18:24:13 -0800

How can i get rid of my white panda eyes after a skiing holiday? After wearing sunglasses while skiing, that area remained white while the rest of my face tanned!
What can i do about this? Ideas that come to my mind are to continue tanning with a balaclava or to apply some kind of make up that will cover it up/even it out.
If anyone really needs a picture to answer my question, i can take one!