The Unbearable Smallness of Benjamin Netanyahu With the death of Shimon Peres, Israel has lost its chief optimist. And the prime minister remains paralyzed by pessimism. The Book of Proverbs teaches us that where there is no vision, the people perish. The people of Israel, now bereft of Shimon Peres, will not perish, because survival—or, at least, muddling through—is a Jewish specialty. But the death of Israel’s greatest visionary, a man who understood that it would never be morally or spiritually sufficient for the Jews to build for themselves the perfect ghetto and then wash their hands of the often-merciless world, means that Israel has lost its chief optimist. Peres was, for so many years, a prophet without honor in his own country, but he was someone who, late in life, came to symbolize Israel’s big-hearted, free-thinking, inventive, and democratic promise. Peres came to this role in part because he had prescience, verbal acuity, a feel for poetry, and a restless curiosity, but also because, gradually but steadily, he became surrounded by small men.

One of the distressing realities of Israel today is that, in so many fields—technology, medicine, agriculture, literature, music, cinema—the country is excelling. But to Israeli politics go the mediocrities. Nicolas Pollock / The Atlantic An etiquette update: Brevity is the highest virtue. I recently cut the amount of time I spent on email by almost half, and I think a lot of people could do the same. I’m sure my approach has made some people hate me, because I come off curt. But if everyone thought about email in the same way, what I’m suggesting wouldn’t be rude. Here are the basic guidelines that are working for me and, so, I propose for all of the world to adopt immediately: None of the above. You can write your name if it feels too naked or abrupt not to have something down there. But it shouldn’t, and it wouldn’t if it were the norm. Don’t waste time considering if “Dear,” or “Hey” or “[name]!” is appropriate. Just get right into it.

Write the recipient’s name if you must. But most people already know their names. Like they already know your name. Barry Lewis / Corbis / Getty In Cold Offices, It's All About Your Feet At Berkeley, researchers are studying how wearing flip-flops changes buildings' air-conditioning needs. When a tech company recently came to Stefano Schiavon at the University of California, Berkeley to test an air-conditioning system for its office, his mind went to flip-flops. The new system would blast cool air from the floor rather than the ceiling, and this being the Bay Area, and this being a tech company, Schiavon figured he couldn’t use the same old models researchers have been using since the 70s to study thermal comfort. 5 ton ac unit brands(Yes, that is the name for the academic study of maintaining a building at just the right temperature.)capacitor in a ac circuit

He needed to test people in flip-flops. Feet, it turns out, are exquisitely sensitive to temperature. When you get cold, the blood vessels in your extremities are the first to constrict, which is your body’s way of preventing more heat loss. “You feel uncomfortable because your feet get numb or getting close to numb,” says Edward Arens, an architect at the University of Berkeley, who also studies thermal comfort. If building managers could heat or cool the feet alone, they could cut energy and costs. fix central air conditioning unitSo at Berkeley, researchers are focusing on thermal comfort from the feet up. Mike Segar / Reuters Trump's Abdication of Personal Responsibility Conservatives have put families and communities at the center of their conception of a better America—but they’re notably absent from the Republican nominee’s account. Again and again at Monday night’s debate, Hillary Clinton attacked Donald Trump’s record in business.

She accused him of caring only about himself. Again and again, he pleaded guilty. When Clinton quoted Trump as cheering for a housing crisis, Trump responded, “That’s called business.” When Clinton accused Trump of not paying taxes, Trump answered, “That makes me smart.” When Clinton attacked Trump for declaring bankruptcy to avoid paying the people he owed, Trump replied, “I take advantage of the laws of the nation because I’m running a company.” Clinton set out to paint Trump as selfish and unethical. Trump basically conceded the charge. Commentators are declaring Trump’s answers a tactical mistake. But they’re more than that. They show how unmoored he is from conservatism’s conception of America.There are a lot of extension cords out there, and sometimes it's hard to know which one to use. Often, people just go to the same one for everything—and it's not always a safe choice for the wires carrying the current, the outlet, or the machine itself. Eliminate the guesswork by using the best cords for 16 common applications.

Your house is the biggest gadget of all. A Gizmodo Home Mod shows you how to recharge it, clear its cache, and update its operating systems.Note: The cords recommended here are the minimum thickness cords permitted for each application by the National Electric Code. Any appliance can use a shorter or thicker, lower-gauge cord. Dangerous situations arise when substituting a longer cord, or a thinner, higher-gauge cord, than the one recommended for these 16 jobs. For more general info on safe extension cord use, look at these fact sheets from the state of Texas and Florida State University.For blowers will 12 amps or less, use a 16-gauge light-duty cord within 50 feet of your outlet. Go with a 14-gauge medium-duty cord for a higher amp or a greater distance from the outlet. Make sure the cord is rated for outdoor use—look for a "W" on the jacket.2. Use an 18-gauge, two-prong, light-duty extension cord. It can handle up to 7 amps up to 25 feet—perfect for discreetly running to a nightstand from the outlet behind the bed.

A retractable cord, like this one from TV Time Direct, cuts down on clutter.3. A 14-gauge, three-prong, medium-duty cord is a general-purpose tool ideal for powering small household appliances, like a laptop.Treadmill manufacturers generally discourage the use of an extension cord with the product. But if you can't move your exercise equipment closer to the outlet, go with a cord made specifically for treadmills—like the 9-foot Treadcord.5. Heat-producing appliances like toasters, irons, and coffee pots draw at least 10-12 amps of current, which is beyond the limits of most indoor extension cords. Hopefully your kitchen layout permits the small, portable appliances to live near an outlet, far from the sink.You'll have to let your hair air dry if you can't plug in the hair dryer directly to an outlet. Hair dryers typically draw 15 amps, which can cause an extension cord to get hot enough to start a fire.7. Go with a 12-gauge heavy-duty outdoor cord, which will have you covered for up to 100 feet from the outlet.

Get a cord with a lighted plug so you'll know when the power is on.You'll want a surge protector or power strip to protect your computer, printer and other electronic equipment from spikes above 120 volts. Some surge protectors have metal oxide varistors, which are essentially semiconductors that stop the transient voltage. Strips like the Fellowes 6 Outlet Surge Protector are designed for small office electronics.Use a typical, off-the-shelf 16-gauge cord, or buy a specialty one, like the Vacuum Cleaner Cord from Prime Wire and Cable.10. A three-prong, 12-gauge cord works best. Get one with a locking plug since you'll be moving the vacuum around a lot and it can easily come unplugged.Go with a 16-gauge cord for 25 feet or less, or 14-gauge for more than 25 feet. Get the length you need—don't ever daisy-chain two extension cords together. Look for a "W" on the jacket to confirm that it can be used outdoors.You'll want a surge protector, like for your home office. When you're not watching TV, turn off the surge protector to stop vampire appliances from using electricity.