Iterate Weekly - Issue 190
This week we're talking about everyone leaving X...again, Idaho wants to normalize the 4-day school week, the Lightfoot scooter, the Lumos Ultra e-bike helmet, and "Saturday Night"!
Welcome to issue 190 of Iterate Weekly.
Let’s jump into this week’s stories shall we?
Thank you as always for reading!
🖥️ Tech
The X-odus continues
It’s been quite a few years since I was a regular user of Twitter, long before it became X.
But it’s still been a staple of the social media landscape even after the name change and Elon Musk takeover. However, since the US election this month, there has been another mass exodus of users from the platform.
And most headlines will tell you that these folks are all running to join Bluesky, Threads, or a similar service. But I wonder how many people are just opting out of this style of social media all together.
The large numbers of people leaving the service obviously comes in response to Musk’s support of Donald Trump in the election, along with a general degradation of quality on the platform over the past few years.
It’s a clear indication that people will leave a platform if the user experience is no longer what it once was. Sure, plenty of people disagree with Musk’s politics but if the social media platform was still firing on all cylinders, I imagine fewer people would abandon it.
This year feels like another social media turning point. Maybe Bluesky is the answer, maybe it’s a temporary stopgap, but I’m really anxious to see where this is headed as the calendar changes to 2025.
🎓 Education/Productivity/Work
Idaho wants to shorten school weeks
I’ve written about the push for shortened work weeks before, but this is the first time I’m highlighting four day school weeks for kids.
The idea has grown in popularity in Idaho in particular as the map above shows.
What is sparking this change? It’s a pretty similar reason as the one pushed for shortening the week for adults. The three day weekend gives students a chance to refresh and better prepare themselves for the week ahead.
In this case, it’s also popular with teachers. Most would agree that our teachers are underpaid and under appreciated. Sure, getting the summers off is a nice perk, but year-round three day weekends give an extra bonus that doesn’t need additional budget to fund.
The move from five days to four slightly longer days each week comes with its own cost savings. Maintenance and heating costs are decreased with one less day of children in the school, not to mention transportation costs with buses, etc.
The big question is how does this impact the longterm academic performance of children? It’s hard to say right now. There are obviously many variables in figuring this out, but it could be a worthwhile tradeoff. The other tricky thing, going back to five days after getting used to four days is virtually impossible.
Personally, if I were a kid in school right now, I’d happily stay a bit later Monday-Thursday in order to ditch school on Friday.
♻️ Health/Environment/EVs
The Lightfoot scooter may look silly, but I want one
Oh yes, we have a new electric vehicle to talk about this week!
That interesting little scooter you see above is called the Lightfoot. And yes, it is basically an array of solar panels attached to wheels.
Technically, it is considered a cargo scooter because those solar paneled doors open up to provide some space to store your stuff. It’s a pretty clever design even if it looks a bit strange.
Is it a practical way to get around your city? It certainly could be for the right person. With a top speed of just under 20mph, I do wish it was slightly faster. But the range seems solid and can only get better as you leave the scooter parked in the sun. Yes, those solar panels should be able to give you enough juice to stay away from the power outlet if you’re only traveling a few miles each day.
As the Lightfoot folks are based in San Francisco, I’m hoping to get a chance to see one of these in person soon. I do appreciate the elongated seat that will allow for a passenger. I’d be curious to see how zippy it feels when you’re hauling two adults uphill, but it seems like a reasonable vehicle for someone to get around an urban space with a lockable storage compartment for two grocery bags.
🛍 Grab Bag
I’ve been loving my smart bike helmet
While we’re on the topic of micromobility, let’s take a second to talk about safety. Specifically about how safe I’ve felt lately while wearing my Lumos Ultra e-bike helmet!
Let’s be clear, this helmet is not inexpensive, but can you put a price tag on the health of your noggin? I was hesitant to pull the trigger on it, but with the amount of cycling I do, it’s worth it to have a really comfortable, protective helmet.
So what makes this thing so special? Yes, it has some smarts and can connect to an app. You can sync up bluetooth lights on your bike and even program some turn signals into your lights and helmet if you like. Honestly, I haven’t messed with the app much, but I love the lights that are built into the helmet.
At first, I thought it was going to feel gimmicky, but the lights make a huge difference in your visibility. They aren’t meant to be a replacement for lights on your bike and they aren’t bright enough to light your path on a dark street, but they’re perfect for making you visible on the highest point of your body. I’ve actually noticed cars being more responsive to my presence when I have the lights turned on, even in broad daylight.
Typically, I just leave the lights glowing solidly, but the flashing is great on foggy days or when it’s really dark. My only issue is that the battery life isn’t amazing. It takes quite a bit of juice to power the bright lights. They charge quickly via USB-C, but it’s just another thing to charge. And I often have to bring the helmet into my office to charge when I don’t have a USB cord handy in the garage.
The helmet looks sharp, is very comfortable, and should protect you even at the higher speeds of Class 3 e-bikes. I rarely hit that 28 mph number but I feel much safer wearing this when I’m cruising along at 22-26 mph. I’ll knock it a little bit for having a visor that isn’t removable. 99% of the time I’m just wearing sunglasses with the visor retracted up. I’ve used it a bit at night and when it isn’t sunny and it doesn’t totally protect your eyes from wind. I wish they just made it easily removable. Otherwise, it’s a fantastic helmet. Maybe they could shave off $20-$30 from the purchase price if they just nixed the visor. I’d still recommend the Lumos helmet/light system to anyone who is looking to step up their e-bike safety game.
💬 Quote of the Week
"Laughter is the sun that drives winter from the human face."
-Victor Hugo
🎥Content Review
Saturday Night
I’ve been watching Saturday Night Live fairly religiously for the better part of three decades. Sure, there have been some seasons that weren’t great. Some years I’m super keen on the first few episodes and then tune out by the end of the season. But for the most part, it’s been a staple of my weekend routine (watching it at 8:35pm Pacific time is a huge plus!).
While my SNL heyday probably came in the late 90s/early 2000s (arguably not their best period), I’ve always been fascinated by the earlier days. As we celebrate this year’s 50th season, it’s great to look back on how this unlikely success story came to be.
“Saturday Night” is a very entertaining way to get an education on the origins of SNL. It chronicles the lead-up to the first episode and all the trials and tribulations that came along with it. It’s wild to think that this misfit show was able to survive and thrive for 50 years. I think Nicholas Braun shines brightest here even in his small roles as both Andy Kaufman and Jim Henson. Anytime someone plays two different characters in the same movie it catches my attention. But to play two iconic performers so well is impressive.
Whether you’re an SNL diehard or not, I think you’ll really love the well-paced frantic energy of “Saturday Night”.
Thanks for reading, I’ll see you next week!
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