By: Adyoth Sural
Potato chips, also known as a crisps (particularly in British English), are a beloved snack food with a long history. These thin, crispy slices of potato are more than just mindless munchies. They're a culinary invention that has spawned countless flavors and variations, becoming a fixture in kitchens and convenience stores around the world. The exact origins of the potato chip are unclear, but folklore claims that a disgruntled chef named George Crum invented them in Saratoga Springs, New York in 1853. Frustrated by a customer who repeatedly complained his French fries were too thick (allegedly Cornelius Vanderbuilt), Crum supposedly sliced them paper-thin and fried them to a crisp. Whether this story is true or not, potato chips became increasingly popular in the late 19th century as commercial potato chip slicers were developed. Early potato chips were simply fried potatoes seasoned with salt. Today, there are countless flavors to choose from, ranging from the classic sour cream and onions to adventurous options like sriracha and wasabi. Some popular brands include Lay's, Ruffles, and Pringles, each with their own loyal community. Beyond flavor variety, potato chips now come in different textures as well. Classic potato chips are typically thin and crispy, while kettle-cooked chips are thicker and have a more irregular shape. Baked potato chips are a healthier alternative that is gaining popularity, offering a similar crunch with less fat. Potato chips are enjoyed in many ways. They are a go-to snack on their own, but they can also be enjoyed with dips like salsa or guacamole. They can be crumbled on top of salads or soups for added texture and flavor. And of course, they're a classic pairing with sandwiches, especially hamburgers and sub sandwiches. The popularity of potato chips is undeniable. They are a convenient, portable, and satisfying snack that can be enjoyed by people of all ages. They're a testament to the versatility of the potato and to the human capacity for culinary creativity. So, next time you reach for a bag of potato chips, take a moment to appreciate the long history and delicious simplicity of this iconic snack. Sources:
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By: Adyoth Sural
Ramen: the word conjures up images of steaming bowls, slurping sounds, and pure, delicious satisfaction. This beloved noodle soup has a surprisingly rich history that is bursting with fun facts and fascinating flavors. Buckle up, broth lovers, for a deep dive into the wonderful world of ramen! Believe it or not, ramen's roots trace back to China. One of ramen’s ancestors, called lamian, was a wheat noodle dish enjoyed centuries ago. Fast forward to the 17th century, and Chinese immigrants brought these noodles to Japan, where they evolved into the ramen we know and love. Ramen's soul lies in its broth. Simmered for hours, these broths come in a rainbow of flavors. There's the rich and creamy tonkotsu, made from pork bones; the light and savory shio, flavored with salt; and the funky and fermented miso, bursting with umami. The noodles themselves are a work of art. They are made from wheat flour, water, and a touch of alkaline water (kansui) for that signature springiness. They can be thin and delicate, or thick and chewy, depending on the regional style. Ramen wasn't always a college student's best friend. In fact, it was once a luxury dish! But in 1958, Momofuku Ando, a resourceful Taiwanese businessman, changed the game with instant ramen. His ingenious creation, requiring only hot water, brought the magic of ramen to the masses. Fun fact: Instant ramen even went to space in 2005, becoming the first noodle dish ever eaten in zero gravity! Today, ramen is a global phenomenon. From fancy ramen bars with gourmet toppings to street vendors serving steaming bowls for mere cents, there's a ramen experience for everyone. So, next time you slurp down a bowl of ramen, remember the long and delicious journey it took to get there. It's a testament to the power a simple noodle soup has to bring people together and create pure noodle nirvana. Sources:
By: Adyoth Sural
Steganography and cryptography are some of the most important aspects of digital communication in today’s world, but what is cryptography and steganography, and what are their similarities and differences? Cryptography is the art of scrambling messages in such a way that only the person you are talking to can understand it. For example, I can turn my name (Adyoth) into ciphertext by putting it through a reverse cipher (htoyda). If a kindergartener who could hardly read saw this message, they would be stumped. But if I were sending it to Ethan Torvik, the winner of last edition’s scavenger hunt, who knew that I was using a reverse cipher, he could easily decipher it. This is a very simple example of cryptography, which you probably could decipher yourself, but the cryptography algorithms (DES, AES, RSA, PGP, ect.) used in today’s world would take a computer longer than the age of the universe (13.7 billion years) to decipher. So yeah, your email is pretty safe. Steganography, on the other hand, is the art of hiding messages. For example if I wanted to hide my name in the alphabet (repeated 5 times) I could hide it like so: “abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyzabcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyzabcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyzabcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyzabcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz” (the underlined letters spell my name). Again, if a kindergartener who could only read saw the text, they wouldn’t be able to find out the hidden message. One good example of steganography is text hidden in an image. When you open an image with a text editor, you usually get a bunch of gibberish. This is because the ones and zeros in your image that usually correspond to color are being converted to text (ASCII). We can use this to our advantage by changing a few pixels in an image to form the binary code for our secret text. So there you have it, cryptography vs. steganography! By: Adyoth Sural
Hey Griffin Post sleuths! Prepare yourselves for the the 2nd Annual Griffin Post Scavenger Hunt! Buried somewhere within the school walls lies the coveted Griffin Object, and only the most cunning detective can unearth its secrets. Crack the code, claim the prize, and etch your name in Griffin Post history! This year's hunt takes a literary turn. Your first clue leads you to a master of words, the “Jollification Jumble” mastermind (maybe). Seek out the writer who ignites imaginations with clever riddles and witty puns. Unravel the mystery hidden within their latest jumble. Remember, "writer, reply!" is your key. Once you've identified the riddle weaver and solved their cryptic clue, a new challenge awaits. The teacher and the code go hand in hand – their identities are intricately linked. Decipher the solution from the first clue, and let it guide you towards the educator who holds the next piece of the puzzle. Remember, speed and wit are your allies! Navigate the school hallways, decipher hidden messages, and crack the codes – all while keeping your eyes peeled for sneaky competitors. The first one to reach me with the retrieved Griffin Object gets ultimate bragging rights, their name featured in the next edition of the Griffin Post, and a pair of headphones! Are you ready to embark on this epic quest? The hunt begins now, Griffin sleuths! Let the games, and glory, commence! Keep in mind that the most important thing is to have fun! When everyone is enjoying themselves, everyone comes out a winner. If you ever find yourself stumped, don't be afraid to seek help from the “Jollification Jumble” mastermind. Another helpful strategy is to carefully review the article again (but of course, there aren't any clues [wink, wink] hidden there either!). By: Adyoth Sural One day in the early 1940s, a very smart physicist known as Enrico Fermi was taking a lunch break from making nuclear bombs in Los Alamos National Laboratory, when he asked the question, “Where are they?” What Dr. Fermi meant by this was considering the age of the universe and the number of planets that could sustain life, shouldn't the universe be teeming with life, much of it intelligent? So, shouldn’t some of this intelligent life have the ability to visit other planets? Taking all of these factors into consideration, we should have been visited by aliens countless times by now. This lunchtime epiphany became known as the “Fermi Paradox”. Ever since the 1950s, people have sought to explain it. In the 1960s, an astronomer named Frank Drake held the first meeting of the Search for ExtraTerrestrial Intelligence (SETI) Institute. At this conference, Drake debuted his now famous Drake Equation. The Drake Equation is by no means proof, instead, it is a probabilistic formula based on random guesses and wild speculation. The Drake Equation goes like this: The equation broken down is:
N = Number of detectable intelligent civilizations R* = Rate of star formation fp = Fraction of the stars which have planets ne = Number of planets capable of sustaining life fl = Fraction of the planets where life evolves fi = Fraction of the planets were live develops intelligence fc = Fraction of the planets with intelligent life that has detectable communication The only value we can confirm in the Drake Equation is R*, which astrophysicists estimate to be around 3. So there you have it folks, the Drake Equation! Sources: By: Adyoth Sural
My favorite candy is Jelly Belly. They are sweet jelly beans that come in all sorts of flavors, from Sizzling Cinnamon (my favorite) to Carolina Reaper. When I went to get my bag of jelly beans, I found myself wondering something: What is the origin story of jelly beans? It turns out, jelly beans have a varied history. The earliest known mention of jelly beans was in an 1861 advertisement for William Schrafft of Boston. In the advertisement, he was promoting the sending of jelly beans to soldiers in the Union Army during the Civil War. However, the history of jelly beans predates the first mention of them. Most experts believe that the chewy center of the jelly bean comes from a Middle Eastern confection known as Turkish Delight. Turkish Delights are sweets made based on a gel of starch and sugar. The shell coating on the jelly bean is made in a way similar to panning, which was first invented in 17th century France to make Jordan Almonds for the Royal Court. The French confectioners made the shells by rocking the almonds in sugar and syrup until they were coated with a candy shell. These two elements made it to America and voilà! Now we have a candy with a hard shell and a chewy center, but what about the classic bean shape? In the 1800s, the diet of most Americans was mostly beans and vegetables. Some candy maker decided to make bean shaped candy, and that is the same shape we have today! Jelly beans quickly became “penny candies” stored in glass jars and sold in paper bags by weight. From Turkish Delight to Jelly Belly, jelly beans have a varied and largely unknown history. Hundreds of confectioners helped make the tiny, chewy, and flavorful beans we eat today! The next time you eat a jelly bean, savor the hundreds of years of history which made it! Sources: By: Adyoth Sural For many years, the field of printing was confined to two-dimensional printing on paper. However, the 1980s witnessed several significant advancements that enabled the incorporation of an additional dimension. There are multiple types of 3D printers, all using different types of plastics, resins, and methods, but the most common are the FDM (also known as FFF) and SLA printers.
The field of 3D printing has experienced considerable advancements since its inception. This expansive and intricate realm offers a plethora of possibilities. I hope that my article will assist you in navigating your initial ventures into the intriguing world of 3D printing.
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By: Adyoth Sural Hi readers! In a previous article, we discussed the concept of Generative AI (Bard). However, we failed to address the important topic of writing prompts for AI. These prompts serve as intermediaries between your thoughts and the AI system. The clearer you write the prompt, the better the result. In this article, we will be focusing on text-to-text AI prompt writing, but many of the concepts apply to text-to-image AI as well. Step 1: In prompt engineering, it is important to establish a clearly defined objective. Formulate a strategic plan or framework that outlines your intended outcome. At this stage you will not get a relevant output, and Bard will ask for more information. Step 2: Develop a straightforward inquiry that is capable of achieving a task. For example, if you want an essay, a suitable prompt could be, "Can you write me a blurb?”. At this stage you will not get a relevant output, and Bard will ask for more information. Step 3: When writing a prompt, start with a verb like “create,” “write,” “compose,” or “summarize” instead of something like “can you.” This will help the AI understand what you want. With our essay example, we can improve the prompt by saying “Write me a blurb.” At this stage you will not get a relevant output, and Bard will ask for more information. Step 4: In order to enhance the relevance of your output, add contextual information to your prompt. For instance, if we consider the essay topic example, we can improve it by saying "Write a blurb about atoms for my science project.” At this stage the information will be more relevant and will be on topic, but it will not meet specifications. Step 5: To enhance clarity in your prompt, provide specific expectations and constraints for the desired output. For instance, when working on a science project we can make the prompt “Write me a 50 word, informative blurb, without pictures, about atoms, and with a conclusion, containing 3 specific examples of where atoms are in the world for my science project.” Those are all the steps for successful prompt writing. Now you know the true power of AI! Here is what Bard produced for each step (linked in separate document):
I hope you liked this article!
Sources: By: Adyoth Sural The Raspberry Pi is an affordable Arm-Based Single-Board Computer (SBC) with a Debian Linux OS that is widely used by technology enthusiasts. It has a wide range of possibilities, from basic LED lighting projects to a fully functional computer! The Raspberry Pi is available in various versions, some the size of a credit card, and others even smaller. With an array of options, it can be daunting to navigate the world of the Internet of Tech (IoT) and Raspberry Pi tinkering. If you think Raspberry Pi is for you, then keep reading! The first thing you want to do is select a project, or keep one in mind. This will help you narrow down the board model which is best for you. Next up, make a budget. Raspberry Pies are cheap, but that does not mean they don’t cost money. Usually, a budget of around $70 is ok. Plus, if you are doing a specific project, you might need to buy some extra parts. I will link some good sites that I buy from at the end of the article. The final step is choosing a board. I have used all the boards listed here (but I only have the Raspberry Pi B, Raspberry Pi B+, and the Raspberry Pi Zero W). There are many more models, versions, and boards than the ones listed below.
I hope that you liked this article and are already searching for a Pi! If you want to go more in-depth with Pies, I would be happy to help you decide which board is best for you, as well as provide you with troubleshooting tips! Happy tinkering!
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Sources: By: Adyoth Sural
Does your computer feel like a forgotten relic, no longer compatible with the latest versions of MacOS or Windows? Is it sitting in the dark corners of your basement gathering dust? Or perhaps it's unable to keep up with the ever-evolving software demands of the modern world. Well, my friend, it is high time that you to delve into the incredible realm of Raspberry Pi Desktop! Raspberry Pi Desktop (RPiD) is a free operating system (OS) that works for all computers, new or old. Its default browser is Chromium, an open source browser project by Google. It also has two inbuilt, lightweight, and powerful coding software: Geany and Thonny. These software are sure to guide you through the mysterious and uncharted labyrinth of programming. There are a lot more software you can download with RPiD. One example is “Minecraft: Pi Edition.” This is a free version of Minecraft that is the perfect size for your “converted” PC. Some more popular software are: Kodi media player (for videos) and RetroPie gaming emulator. There are other positives to installing Raspberry Pi Desktop. For example, since, by downloading Raspberry Pi Desktop, you obtain the same OS as the Raspberry Pi single board computer (SBC), you can do many of the same things with RPiD as you can do with SBC. I enjoy doing mini coding projects with my SBCs, and you can experiment with coding projects too. Another positive is that it is better for the planet. Instead of throwing your computer away, you can put it to new use. You have the ability to make your computer “powerful” again, so why not do it? While RPiD does seem like the miracle option you have been looking for to restore your old computer, there are some limitations. For example, the computer will be quite slow. Also, since this RPiD is a lightweight Linux system, its graphics will not be that great. Furthermore, all old files on your computer will be deleted (it's best if you backup your files before installation). Finally, after you download the OS on your computer, you will not have too much space left for extra software. While there are some limitations to RPiD, the pros outweigh the cons. So, if you're desperately seeking a way to breathe life back into your beloved old computer, look no further than Raspberry Pi Desktop! For a step-by-step tutorial on installing Raspberry Pi Desktop, you can refer to this link: https://projects.raspberrypi.org/en/projects/install-raspberry-pi-desktop/0 Sources:
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