Hmm, it probably depends what you think is weird, but I have one in their on the feasibility of extracting ammonia from biomass. There’s also one on early steam turbines by a fellow named Geoff Horseman, which is a fun name.
Edit: Oh, I also have a professional critique of my dating profile photos. That’s weird in a different way, since I actually got that done, and it unexpectedly came as a PDF.
You got your dating photos critiqued? And it exists as a paid service?? You fascinate me Sir.
Yeah, it came with ghostwriting for the text section.
Man, I have no idea what people are looking for from dating profiles, and what I got back from the seasoned pros just reinforces that. Left to my own devices, I went terse and impartial. What they wrote seems cheesy and boastful to me, but I guess comes across as confidence to others. Which just means it’s money well spent, I suppose, because I haven’t gotten any complaints since.
It’s a beast too - 202 pages. From the part I read, I could probably make one that kinda works, but that’s it. Unfortunately the author didn’t go into the details I was hoping for, like why exactly steam turbine airfoils are hook-shaped. One neat thing is that they have a nice little formula for comparing totally different turbines over time to show how they gradually do more with less.
The ammonia paper is weird because it’s a super impractical and difficult idea - normally you fix nitrogen in a big Haber-Bosch plant and turn it into biomass. Both came up because they’re applicable to primitive tech stuff.
I have more and probably weirder, but the things I care about tend to be moved out of the download folder.
I can definitely relate. I have several PDFs of advanced textbooks from when I wanted to learn some very niche skill. The latest one is an economics textbook from when I wanted to learn about different types of auctions and the maths/game theory behind each.
Acute toxins fact sheet, guide to identifying snipe flies, several issues of Computer Gaming World from 1987, and 2 separate copies of the schematics for a Kenmore 148-1937.1 sewing machine.
(1984) Reflections of Trusting Trust by Ken Thompson
It’s a really short PDF and it’s not as technical as it seems, but gives a good lesson on how programs evolve, and what exactly trust means in the software world
I think if i dig through my records I can find a federal subpoena from 2016. A LEO had to formally come to my door to confirm I received it but the prosecutor sent it to me via email.
