Sam Ock Keep Me Warm

[Amelie Robertos]

Iknow this may miss the point of using Cloud Functions in the first place, but in my specific case, I'm using Cloud Functions because it's the only way I can bridge Next.js with Firebase Hosting. I don't need to make it cost efficient, etc.

With all "serverless" compute providers, there is always going to be some form of cold start cost that you can't eliminate. Even if you are able to keep a single instance alive by pinging it, the system may spin up any number of other instances to handle current load. Those new instances will have a cold start cost. Then, when load decreases, the unnecessary instances will be shut down.

As of Sept 2021, you can now specify a minimum number of instances to keep active. This can help reduce (but not eliminate) cold starts. Read the Google Cloud blog and the documentation. For Firebase, read its documentation. Note that setting min instances incurs extra billing - keeping computing resources active is not a free service.

If you absolutely demand hot servers to handle requests 24/7, then you need to manage your own servers that run 24/7 (and pay the cost of those servers running 24/7). As you can see, the benefit of serverless is that you don't manage or scale your own servers, and you only pay for what you use, but you have unpredictable cold start costs associated with your project. That's the tradeoff.

Google has just announced the ability to set min-instances for your Cloud Function deploys. This allows you to set the lower bound for scaling your functions down and minimises cold starts (they don't promise to eliminate them).

Cloud functions are generally best-suited to perform just one (small) task. More often than not I come across people who want to do everything inside one cloud function. To be honest, this is also how I started developing cloud functions.

With this in mind, you should keep your cloud function code clean and small to perform just one task. Normally this would be a background task, a file or record that needs to be written somewhere, or a check that has to be performed. In this scenario, it doesn't really matter if there is a cold start penalty.

But nowadays, people, including myself, rely on cloud functions as a backend for API Gateway or Cloud Endpoints. In this scenario, the user goes to a website and the website sends a backend request to the cloud function to get some additional information. Now the cloud function acts as an API and a user is waiting for it.

In order to keep the cold start to minimum there is not a single solution, it is a mixture of multiple techniques. The question is more how to make our lambdas so fast we don't care so much about cold starts - I am talking about a startup time in the range of 100-500 ms.

Birds are also smaller than we are (well, omitting the ostrich), which means that they have a higher surface-area-to-volume ratio than we do. This is a problem because the volume (inside) of an animal is where heat is produced and stored, while the surface (skin) of the animal is where heat is lost to the environment. Imagine holding your hand in a bitter wind: how would you keep it warm? By making a fist. Making a fist reduces the surface-area-to-volume ratio of your hand, and lets it keep warm longer. In contrast, if you hold your hand out flat with all the fingers spread, your surface-area-to-volume ratio is larger, and your hand will get cold very quickly. Because birds have higher surface-area-to-volume ratios than we do, keeping warm is harder for them. How do they do it?

And just like that, we have explained what a base layer does and how it fits with our layering system. As you can imagine, base layers will have some level of conduction or radiation prevention because they have some volume of fabric. The thicker and smarter the fabric, the more it will offer some form of insulation, but at their core base layers exist to prevent evaporation.

Training apparel falls under the same category as base layers, but are just meant to also be seen, unlike base layers. If you have a range of training clothes that are tight you can easily use them as base layers; and vice versa.

The decision on what kind of garments to use are very much about preference: you can use long sleeve or short sleeve items in any mix. I personally prefer using a short sleeve top and thigh length underwear in all conditions, adding a longer shirt on top when it is chilly and long tights when really cold. The idea is to protect the core more than anything else, so if you know that your arms and legs tend to be on the warmer side, stick with short sleeve base layers.

If you tend to be very warm, you can use the base layer on its own, adding a wind layer only if very exposed and insulation only when stopping. Many times this is what I do on milder or very fast-moving trips.

As a second skin, your base layer is there to take that very efficient sweating mechanism that is meant to cool your body when active, and slow it down, allowing the body to cool in safer conditions. Using an over jacket during breaks when active and having an efficient base layer will help in slowing down the cooling process.

As a general rule, if temperatures are low and you plan to be active, a base layer is good to have. Your goal is to prevent skin chill so think about the conditions: will you reach a peak that will be windy and cold? Are you running on a ridge that is chilly?

On lighter trips I use leggings from a synthetic fabric (running tights) under a pair of shorts but besides that I very rarely need more than my underwear and socks on my legs. I do have a pair of compression calf sleeves that can also fall under the base layer category, and I do use them at times under my trekking pants or with shorts.

Under Layer 1: The first thing you need to start with is the clothing that will be closest to your body. Wear a medium-weight thermal undergarment that will wick sweat away while keeping the heat close to your body. These need to be a snugger-fitting long-sleeved shirt and leggings. This is the only layer that should fit tight and be touching the skin; the rest should move freely and allow you freedom of movement. A sweat-wicking layer against your body is so important because it is easy to work up a sweat while walking to your stand. This layer will help keep you dry so you can stay warm, otherwise you will get colder and colder as soon as your body rests.

Remember, it is important to carry some of the bulk of your outer layers while walking to your hunting spot if you tend to work up a sweat. This is where a good backpack can benefit you. I like backpacks with outer straps so you can just strap in your layers on the outside and not worry about trying to fit them inside the zipper pouch. Sometimes you can get away with wearing bibs and still not overheating if they have a full-length zipper along the legs. This feature allows you to easily unzip the legs for pulling over boots, but also while walking so you can allow airflow to reach your legs.

Another tip for not sweating is to allow plenty of time to get to where you are walking, as a slower-moving hunter is less likely to get overheated. If you do arrive overheated or close to it, mist your face, neck and wrists with scentless spray to help cool down quickly. I carry a travel-size bottle in my hunting bag and do this each time I reach the stand. It works really well for me. Then, as your hunt continues, you can add your outer layers as needed.

Despite the gloves and muffler, I always had a problem with the metal bow grip. The chill from the metal seemed to immediately go through my thin gloves and freeze my hand when I was standing and ready with deer around. I solved the problem with insulator strips. This product has an adhesive backing and attaches to the front of the grip directly to the riser, insulating your hand from the cold as well as allowing you to carry your bow more comfortably. As a bonus, it even helps to reduce hand shock and absorbs bow recoil, too.

Taking these steps and finding what works best for you will make these cold hunts more enjoyable. A warm hunter is quieter, mentally focused, on the hunt longer and more likely to be successful. Good luck and stay safe this winter!

Extremely cold weather can have a negative impact on our health. People with respiratory problems such as asthma, or heart conditions are at particular risk during the winter months.Our bodies need to be kept at a core body temperature of 37C to stay healthy, which means rooms should be heated to a minimum of 18C.

Wearing lots of layers rather than one thick piece of clothing will help trap your body heat and keep you warmer. Clothes made with insulating material, like wool jumpers and thermal underwear, are best for keeping you warm at home. Using a hot water bottle is also an inexpensive way to stay warmer for longer. You can also keep your feet warm with thick socks and slippers.

Eating healthily and drinking plenty of hot drinks throughout the day will help with staying warm at home. Avoid alcohol - it prevents your blood vessels from constricting and you'll begin to lose body heat.

When it gets cold, your body works harder to keep blood flowing to your core and vital organs to keep them warm. This can change the blood flow to your hands and feet, meaning they may get cold. Keeping your fingers and toes snug can help regulate your body temperature so make sure not to ignore them.

Wearing gloves made of insulating materials, like wool or leather, will help keep your hands warm. You can also use winter warmer packs like hand warmers. These work best when tucked into gloves or clothing.

Open your curtains during the day - the sun still provides warmth, even in the winter months. Make sure you close them as soon as the sun sets to keep the warm air in. Investing in thicker curtains, or thermal curtain liners, will help keep the cold air out and prevent heat loss.

With the windows closed, condensation can quickly build and can eventually turn to mould. This can be harmful to your lungs. Make sure you turn your extractor fans on in the bathroom and kitchen and wipe down your windows at regular intervals.

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