Domain: amherst.edu
Stories and comments across the archive that link to amherst.edu.
Comments · 17
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Re:Um, my physics course discussed perp motion
and pointed out why it doesn't work
Yes, just like economics classes point out why "competing systems" like socialism and fascism don't work and aren't actually "competing".
Your problem is that you don't listen to science and reason, and instead think that it's all a grand conspiracy. Kind of like a nutcase who thinks that ideas for perpetual motion machines are being suppressed by the evil oil companies.
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Not that new
This is not really news.
He's been saying stuff like this for a long time.
The wikipedia article about him says "In 2006, he wrote to the Royal Society arguing there was "no scientific proof" that mankind was causing global warming" -- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/...
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Re:Why?
Found the system specs for the test PCs, I wouldn't call them High End PCs except in the sense that the price was high end. The Xeon X5550 system appears to even be underclocked 1GHz below it's normal speed of 2.66/3.06GHz.
Still, it'd take a big cluster of them to equal the performance of the V6. That's worth it right there.
http://www.cs.amherst.edu/ccm/cf14-mcgeoch.pdf
"All software solver tests were carried out on a suite of
seven Lenovo ThinkStation S30 0568 workstations, each containing
one Intel Xeon E5-2609/2.4GHz Quad-Core processor
with 16GB RAM. The operating system was Ubuntu
64-bit 12.04 LTS.Blackbox runs on a Lenovo d20 workstation containing
two Intel Xeon X5550@1.6GHz Quad-Core processors with
16GB RAM. The operating system is Fedora 15. The number
of hardware samples per main loop iteration was set
to k = 1000 and the stopping rule was set to 107 function
evaluations.The QA algorithm was run on a hardware chip named
Vesuvius 5 (V5) that contains 439 working qubits.
It is a challenging problem to nd precise, accurate, and
commensurable runtime measurements for these diverse solution
strategies. We adopted the following conventions.
All software runtimes are Unix CPU times in units of seconds.
The Matlab front end started timing immediately
before solver invocation and stopped immediately upon return:
thus the tasks carried out by the front end (including
all I/O) are not included in our time measurements. All software
tests were run on empty systems (with no competing
user processes), measuring one solver on one instance, running
on one core at a time. The Intel hyperthreading option
(which is known to produce timing anomalies) was turned
o. In addition to total CPU times, most tests produced
\history" trace data, by which each solver recorded time and
solution cost whenever a better solution was found." -
Re:1 10th of China's Farmland Polluted with Heavy
Lead exposure at the levels that are caused by leaded fuel appears to be a cause for increases in violent crime.
http://www.amherst.edu/~jwreyes/papers/LeadCrimeNBERWP13097.pdf
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Sexy science, bad science
Stem cells are a hot topic, so people are willing to publish sloppy research or even fake date (remember Dr Hwang Woo-suk) just to get published fast and first. The same turns out to be true with other hot topics like flu research, where claims that the 1918 flu pandemic was of avian origin are severely overblown (http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v440/n7088/
f ull/nature04824.html; a free version is here: http://www.amherst.edu/~mhood/pubs.htm). Most scientifc research is solid, and most review processes work, but publications like Science and Nature often publish articles based on how sexy they are and can curtail the review process if they think the story will be a hit. Most other journals keep things steady and have very solid review proceedures. -
College/University Websites
A number of College and University websites have audio of lectures that take place on their campus.
For example, I run the Amherst Recording Council, which provides online audio of lectures and events from the Amherst College campus. We've recently had talks on biology, slavery, politics, economics, architecture, intellectual property, and history.
http://www.amherst.edu/arc/ -
Five Colleges Network (was Re:A lot of this?)
The same thing is happening in western Massachusetts to connect The Five Colleges (Amherst College, Hampshire College, Mount Holyoke, Smith, and the University of Massachusetts, Amherst).
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But Don't Lose Your Head!
Even journalists are rethinking the wisdom and safety of travelling to Iraq. Like it or not, any westerner is a target for kidnapping or worse.
If you are thinking of travelling to Iraq, think very carefully about the possibility that you'll only need a one way ticket.
Although showing up on an Al Quaeda connected website will certainly get your name out there! -
Re:First real relational database
I concur. If dBase II can be said to be relational, then any data persistence mechanism is too. Some other candidates beyond ISAM (non-exhaustive list):
http://www.amherst.edu/~ermace/sth/photos.html
http://www.mkzdk.org/carnac/guiden.html
http://www.memphis.edu/egypt/giza.htm
http://www.crystalinks.com/chinawall.html
http://archaeology.la.asu.edu/teo/intro/sun.htm -
Infinite Turtles or, Dude Where's My Fractal?
I'm a firm believer in an "infinite hierarchy of universes" hypothesis (turtles all the way down) insofar as it is extremely possible that This Is The Way It Is. I find myself getting irritated when seemingly rational/intelligent people dismiss such a theory (or variants thereof) as stoner philosophy, i.e. Dude what if we're toejam on a big giant guy pass the bong etc etc. This is just a valid hypothesis as any, and I argue that it is equally, if not more elegant than many of the current Theories of Everything.
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Re:Ms.Geek, why?
Suit yourself, Hanzo. Those elite schools will pass you over for avoiding math much quicker than they will looking at your overall GPA. There is a sure-fire way to avoid that C...HARD WORK. If you aren't good in math, rather than dance around it, get some help! Tutoring and other services are usually available at Community Colleges.
According to the admissions, based on whats on their websites and documentation, a Philosophy or Liberal Arts major is not required to take calculus as a prerequisite, so why should I take it if its not required? Would it really boost me up that much ?
There is a sure-fire way to avoid that C...HARD WORK. If you aren't good in math, rather than dance around it, get some help! Tutoring and other services are usually available at Community Colleges.
I cant get tutoring because I dont have a car yet, and I dont live on campus because its community college, so this isnt an option, when I live on campus then I can get tutoring.
Perhaps you might have an undiagnosed learning disability that prevents you from "grokking" math. Again, find out about resources available to you and use them.
A learning disability is an excuse, the reason I dont get math is because math is useless, to actually suggest that someone has a learning disability because they dont get math is like me claiming anyone who cant use Linux or anyone who doesnt understand C must have a learning disability.
It is utterly impossible to get a degree, anywhere, without math. That is, unless you answer one of those many spams for U.N.I.V.E.R.S.I.T.Y D.E.G.R.E.E.S F.A.S.T. You know the ones...the ones you get in the same batch as the Nigerian Scam and "free porn passwords."
Ok, check out some of these sites, look under "philosophy" as the major, and tell me where it says you need to take calculus to get a degree in philosophy.
http://www.bu.edu/
http://www.northeastern.edu/
http://www.bc.edu/
http://www.tufts.edu/
http://www.hampshire.edu/flash/index.php
http://www.amherst.edu/
http://www.umass.edu/
Math is a prerequisite for SCIENCE degrees only. Show me where it says you MUST take math to be accepted into any of these schools for a philosophy degree? At most I'll need to take an a linear algebra class or a pre calculus class, thats it.
One class is all you must pass in order to get a degree, and I can take this class during the summer and get a C, and get my degree. So tell me why you think it would be a good idea to take it now if none of the schools say its a requirement for acceptance?
If the schools DID say its a required class for acceptance into their philosophy program, I'd take the class, but that would delay me from transfering for another semester so I dont see a point, I think instead i will transfer out of community college into one of the 4 year colleges on the list I showed you, and then take the mathclass, when I actually LIVE on campus and no longer have to worry about traveling for over 2 hours to get to school via public transportation.
Hard work can avoid a C? Actually no it cant, it depends on how good you are at what you are doing. You can work hard and get a C, or you can breeze through a class and get an A, if you are doing something you never were taught in highschool, such as say a student who comes from another country and decided to take a college level english class, theres no way in hell they'd get an A, because they never learned English before, math is the same way, its unrealistic for me to believe I can make up for 12 years of not being taught something, simply by cramming 12 years of work into one semester.
Sure I can pass with a C, but I dont think I'd truely underst -
Re:No, it wasn't OK
Um, just a note on VW - VW is NOT "pretty small-time" - they're the largest auto conglomerate in Europe, and definitely among the largest in the world.
Yes, sarcasm doesn't translate well in text, does it?
:)
Out of curiousity, I'd like to know what "ties" GM has to Subaru? Subaru is a subsidiary of Fuji Heavy Industries, and really, kind of an oddball in the automarket (Don't get me wrong, Subaru is my favorite carbrand
:)). It'd be rather obvious if Subaru was sharing models with GM, as every Subaru comes with a boxer engine, and Subaru and Porsche are the only auto companies using that engine format.
I have no idea what ties they have, but the GM website said they did so I'll believe them. From a quick google search, I came up with this page that says GM purchased Subaru from Fuji. Here's another page that sounds more likely -- General Motors owns a 20% stake in Fuji. And as the owner of a boxer-engined car (not Subaru), I certainly do like that format. Does lead to some oil burning, though, just due to the configuration of the cylinders.
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My resources.
Sites like Epitonic and Parasol have steaming audio and are not 'radio' per se. Parasol is a distributor and Epitonic is a site like MP3.com but with a more condensed selection of signed indie artists (not the myriad of DIY stuff that might be fun to wade through at MP3.com, but since you said google was dense, then this is a valid comment). Epitonic's radio stream is cool because you can listen to what they have programmed or 'walk through' genre, labels etc or create a playlist for the broadcast.
Allmusic is very good at guiding yo to stuff you might like. By checking roots, influences, followers and similar artist of an act that you like you might stumble on some new stuff.
Weblogs, forums... of course.
Then there is the old reliable. Magzines, college radio and record store clerks.
Some of my favorite mags: Magnet, Wire, Signal to Noise and CMJ.
You must have some local college stations... some of them do internet streaming if there is none near you. Local to me (Northampton, MA) there is WAMH and WMUA.
There are a few great record stores that send out new release emails of obscure titles. Also, they have employee lists. I have bought many titles without listen by looking at the employee lists. If 10 people that work in the store say it is great, then it more than likely is. Here are two great stores on each coast: Forced Exposure in Boston (click on "Employee Top 10") & Aquarius Records in San Fran (click on "Favorites" for each employee)... for both sites, sign up for the email updates for weekly new releases.
If anyone is into Free Jazz, check out my site. -
Re:Largest Building in the World!!
Here are some more that I thought of:
The most tempting tech I saw was an open access panel, revealing a ton of CAT-5, in the floor of Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas. To paraphrase Homer Simpson: Hmmmmmm..... networked slot machines... I really would like to know what OS they run. :-)
The USAF Museum has TONS of kick ass tech.
Someone else mentioned walking the Sydney Harbour Bridge.
The Grand St Bernard and Chunnel tunnels are cool.
The Roman Coloseum is very impressive, especially since you can now walk inside of it!
Some way early tech: Stonehenge.
There's an awesome museum full of armor in Innsbruck, but I don't know its name.
Oetzi has some cool old tech too (he looks like shiny beef jerky).
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Volvo and electronics
is the idea that the engine controls (or any other drivetrain subsystem) would be running on anything but a dedicated device chock full of proven code.
Of course, the whole car is a network of dedicated devices. Thats how everybody does it.
Switching from Ford-owned Volvo Cars to self-owned AB Volvo, I would recommend reading some of these articles. Heck, they even have serveral connected ECU's in construction equipment (like a wheel loader or articulated hauler)... Don't know about the OS, though, but I wouldn't think that somebody would rely on Win9x for critical applications... -
GM Weapons
Some problems -
It will probably be possible to make a virus which would require the presence of certain specific DNA elements in order to replicate i.e. to infect a host.
What will be distinctly trickier is to make such a virus and prevent it from mutating, perhaps so as to no longer require such specific DNA elements before replicating. Unlike humans (and complex organisms) which have elaborate machineries for detecting and fixing errors in DNA replication, viruses have none.
The first moral - analogies from computer science only apply to DNA up to a point. After that point they break down badly. Organisms are not Turing machines.
The second moral - the genetically engineered anti-[insert your pet hate group here]-virus is quite likely to turn around and exterminate you.
Before building your bio-weapon read something like Paul Ewald's book on 'The Evolution of Infectious Disease' or this article. Better yet, don't.
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I Bleed For This?!?!
No text file archive is complete without I Bleed For This?!?!?.
IBFT is solely the best ezine ever.