2017 Summer July 21 Friday

84 degrees this morning (feels like 86); walk 34:48 minutes

84 degrees is the warmest I can remember it being at this time (at the time I walk every day).  Actually I cheated slightly, it was 84 degrees on my iWatch, 83 degrees on the weather app, but I thought using the higher temperature was justified.

Actually, still a slight coolness in the air.  I don’t mean I need a jacket or anything (I come back with a shirt that feels like I”ve been swimming I sweat so much-fortunately it is a “smart” shirt and the perspiration “evaporates” somehow, I never have figured out how that worked.  But it definitely does work.

The shirt actually almost is dry by the time I take it off.

My shirts are probably ten years old, at least, so the technology probably isn’t the fastest, but it still works well.  

I remember when I got the shirts I had a hard time finding “high visibility yellow”, but now it is all over the place.  (Most of my walking summer t-shirts are white, since I couldn’t find the high visibility yellow.)

A regular cotton t-shirt would probably be a lot harder to wear since it would retain perspiration a lot more and feel clammy. 

Pace of 6 seconds slower than my goal pace, which is considered acceptable, at least by me and I guess that is all that counts!

Listening to the course on the Industrial Revolution, I am impressed by the technology of the early era (1600 or so to 1850’s).  

Actually the canal, and then especially the railroads and the steam engine really had an impact similar to our Interstate highway system and the internet had on our society.

The steam engine (if I remember correctly) has been around in some fashion since the early 1600’s, but was improved in the 1700’s to be really feasible.  

Like the Intestate system and the internet, the canals, railways and the steam engine really connected everyone together and made trade etc. much more feasible.

Actually, I was also surprised to learn that the pottery maker Wedgewood,  was also a very creative business person and also one of the persons who realized the importance of the canal system.  He offered common business practices now of “your money back if not satisfied”, free shipping, 2 for one etc.  Due the the transportation costs involved in getting the material to him, the canal was very important.

Of course, the steam engine actually remained important until the 1950’’s are so and is even still important.  The availability of a steam engine instead of having to depend on horses (which, like people, eat etc.) saved an enormous amount of money etc.

I wonder if robots are going to be the new steam engines?

That’s it for now, Friday, July 21, 2017.