My, we've come a long way from the Maxwell Smart shoe-phone, haven't we? Now you can have a mobile in one shoe, and a computer in the other. Brilliant!
Me, I'm hanging out for the mobile phone in a ring (perferably one which sends its audio signals through bone, so you literally stick your finger in your ear, talk into your ring, and away you go!)
Yeah, very good point. I really appreciate having a formula sheet for exams, so that you don't need to remember the drudgery stuff, and can instead actually get onto the important part - problem solving!
From experience in a physics course I could fairly easily believe that this is true, although we have to ask about the causes involved - the interesting question is why "brighter" people don't function as well under pressure. The researchers say "People with lower working-memory capacities are not using that capacity to begin with, so they're not affected by pressure." What the heck does that mean?
Just intuitively, people who are "brighter" tend to have much higher expectations of themselves, and tend to feel (true or not) that other people hold them to a much higher standard as well. So that probably explains why they get distracted by these sort of thoughts. I suspect that the other group just doesn't think about this as much, and just "do their best" (to use a teaching cliche...)
They do make a really good point about the high pressure tests (SAT, etc) that you have to sit for University, say. You have to ask whether this really is a "real life" situation - usually, you can go away and work on something at your own pace (within reason) and reach an answer you're comfortable with, and ultimately, aren't we interested in who can give the best answer, rather than who can give an adequate answer quickest? Again, within reason, and I'm sure certain professions (e.g., lawyers?) have different priorities in different situations. But certainly in physics, I know people who know how to do the problems - they just can't do it in a 2 hour exam. In high school, we had a great system - for the "problem solving" section, you could take as long as you needed (again (!) within reason) to finish it - most people didn't need the extra time, but some did, and did better for it. Perhaps we need to look at that system for other exams as well? Who cares about practicalities...
J.
Note that the HFEA authority is only expected to provide permission - it hasn't been authorised for certain yet. Seems like they really wanted to be the first people to write a story about it and decided just to jump in anyway, and beat the rush.
Reminds me of a line from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (cartoon) "[Angry voice] Who's idea was it to put the 6pm news on at 1:00?! [Changes to happy voice] It's brilliant - we'll get the jump on all the other networks!"
Do you find other numbers too complex? Are you looking for that perfect number to be an integral part of your life? Never fear! They don't have to be imaginary! Our Numeric Dating service factors in all variables so even odd numbers can be happy!
(For the record, I wrote this during a second year maths lecture...good ol' vector calculus inspiring my creativity.)
I seem to spend a lot of time researching cameras for my friends, and so I read dpreview and the like a lot. As such, my three picks for cameras are:
Canon Powershot 410 (for the user wanting an ultracompact camera which gives good photos, but isn't worried about manual control)
Canon Powershot S70 (for the high end consumer, who wants a compact camera but with full manual control and awesome picture quality)
Nikon D70 (a beautiful SLR, great pictures, fantastic features, quick response and all round goodness. Don't expect it tot fit in your pocket though...)
Of course, if you're really keen, you can get one of the high end Canon SLRs...
Most importantly, I don't think you should scrimp on your camera. Those cameras step up in price, according to features more than anything else, but within a particular category there can be quite a spread of prices. I'm not trying to be elitist here (like people who claim you should never use anything less than 256kbps in OGG format for music...) but the efficiency and quality of your camera will really grate after a while if they're not up to scratch.
A fabulous game is Scruples (or "A Question of Scruples" formally.) It poses moral dilemmas such as
You scrape a car on the way out of the carpark. No-one sees you. Do you leave a note?
and
A magazine offers you $10,000 for a nude photo you have of your ex-lover. Do you accept?
You have to ask these questions of your friends, and predict what they would do. You can also challenge them if you think they're bluffing, and argue your case to the rest of the players who must decide who they believe. (We actually play it where everyone tells the truth; we find it makes for more interesting after dinner conversations.) The Millenium edition is great, or you can pick up older editions on Ebay for very little (most questions still fine, although occasionally one is a little outdated.)
"Psychologzier" is another game in a similar vein, and is great fun too, but is out of print. You can still pick it up on Ebay every couple of weeks or so, though. Well worth it! Oh, and "ImagineIff" is great too. (Even if my mathematician friends call it "Imagine if and only if"...)
Articulate is another fabulous game, a sort of verbal Pictionary somewhat akin to Taboo and is absolutely hilarious. Great fun!
Finally, you should try Killer Bunnies. Hilarious when you've got a group of friends, and the designers have put a lot of work into making this quirky game fun. Lots of expansion packs, too!
I find that my biggest gripe comes from having my desktop, other windows, etc, appearing around my images. It distracts me, and I sometimes click on them by accident (e.g., if I miss during a quick resize - and no, I'm not drunk at the time.)
If there were someway for GIMP to give at least a grey uniform background, that would help a lot.
Actually, that's something I don't know - how do you build a lightsaber? Luke builds a new one, so couldn't Yoda? Or was it just that he didn't have the parts available on his humble planet? (Incidentally, does anyone know if Yoda had a ship etc on the planet? Was he stuck there by choice or by necessity?)
Re the moves, I wonder how much of using a lightsaber is taught as moves etc, and how much simply comes from letting the force guide your blade? I don't think we've really seen anything about this? Supporting the force-guiding idea, I guess, is the way Obi-Wan trained Luke, covering his eyes and just letting him feel the force, and also Luke turning off the guidance computer before attacking the Death Star. On the other hand, you'd want to know at least the basics of not chopping of your own arm (or hand...;)
Mmm, I do see your point. But on the other hand, they tried to battle it out using the force (I loved Yoda's block the lightning too) and the were basically evenly matched. Only when they were using light sabres did it become clear that Yoda was the master - in tune with the force, moving smoothly, etc. The light sabre has always sort of represented the physical part of the force, and the "honour" associated with hand to hand combat, as opposed to guns and the like. In some sense, once you're at a certain level, it's the cheap tricks like lightning, force push and the other video game standards that become unimportant. It's just you, your light sabre and the midocl, er, and the force. IMHO, anyway:)
No doubt a little of both of the above:) I guess though we're assuming he's just recovered from a little dip in a bath of molten rock, and that would probably be enough to dry anyone's throat out. Let him have a couple of sips of water and crush a few Trusted Lieutenants' throats, and he'll be right as rain again.
And I have to say, a Yoda vs Palpatine fight would be very impressive indeed. Although, it does raise a question. Yoda only lost against Count Duku (sp? No idea!) because he's a nice guy who had to exert all his efforts holding up the pillar. So, not really a fair fight, and the Count got away. So what happens when/if Yoda fights Palpatine? Obviously, neither wins in the the kill-or-be-killed sense, so I wonder what happens? Pulling the same trick as last time or simply fighting as a stalling tactic while the other get away, etc, is a bit of a cop out. Oh well! Guess we'll find out soon enough (or not, depending on who you talk to!)
Honestly, perhaps the movies weren't as good as the originals, but I still enjoyed them. Watching the trailer definitely gets me enthused about seeing the next one! Both Yoda and the Emperor look like they're going to get some screen time with sabers - awesome!
Actually, that's one thing which I think has been done really well in the preques - the light sabre battles are just awesome.
I've attempted to explain the physics behind the Prize on my blog, Illuminating Science. Plenty of links for extended reading available, and it should (I hope!) be suitable for a non-physicist interested in science.
All comments and, especially, corrections, greatly welcomed.
*grin* Hey, I know the flaw - but it's surprising how many people get tricked up on that one. They know that the step you pointed to has got to be wrong, somehow, but justifying it is a lot more work.
And I think you're definitely onto something with the misdirection on the first two steps...
You should check out STM backpacks. These are really excellent pieces of equipment, look really sturdy, and definitely don't scream "lots of of electronic goodes within!". Lots of pockets for phone, mp3 player, PDA, etc. They even have an opening for headphones so that you can keep your player in your backpack!
Hmmm, fair enough! (I happy to admit if I'm wrong:) But does that mean that the System key is copied to the iPod as well? Or is the manual completely talking crap? i.e., is the system key needed, or if not, what is used to decrypt the user keys? (Heck, is there actually a system key?!)
I can't really understand the code well enough to be able to comment on this; anyone? Is it just that they know how the decrypt the system key off an ipod or off Windows, but not anything else?
Ooookay, take it easy. No, I have no problem understanding the difference between Windows and iTunes. Windows (and OSX) are DIFFERENT platforms, on which two DIFFERENT versions of iTunes run (albeit ports of each other). I also, however, point your attention to the manual (have you looked at it?). I haven't looked at the code, but I'm trusting that the manual is correct to some extent.
According to it, the system key can only be obtained (so far) for Windows machines, and is then used to decrypt the user keys which can then be used on the songs. On the iPod, these user keys are (according to the manual, section A.1.2!) stored decrypted. This is what I was referring to in my message.
I was merely commenting that decoding the system key has only been done on Windows, and wondering why that was. scorpioX suggested an explanation in his interesting reply.
I find it ironic (though perhaps humorous!) that this hack is most simply implemented on a Windows platform. Note that on Mac et al., you have to have an iPod, and have it plugged in, because that's where the decrypted keys come from. On Windows, however, the key encryption has been reverse engineered somehow (I don't really understand this bit) and they're able to get the key directly from your computer. This hasn't been done on the mac, so you have to wait for the iPod to decrypt it for you.
I just find it interesting that the DRM was most easily compromised by allowing iTunes for Windows! Is this just because of the sheer user base, meaning things get hacked together faster, or is it more profound, i.e., Windows is more easily hacked. Food for thought:)
PS - I've just ordered by G4 Powerbook laptop (drool, drool), doing the switch from Windows. Faintly nervous, but all my friends (both of them...) are getting the Powerbooks and loving them!
That's fine to say, but often there isn't cell reception in the woods. Starting a fire (as another poster pointed out) may not be the smartest thing; it may not even be practical (no matches on a day walk?) And searching with a chopper is fine, but the point of this question was to SAVE time (and money!)
I understand what you mean about preserving the woods, and I agree in principle. But we still put in signs, we still mark trails and make sure that they're clear. If there are unobtrusive sensors on path intersections, particularly if they're tastefully done (embedded in wood, e.g.), then are you really going to care? If it makes the difference between life and death (which this could in winter, say), I think it's worthwhile.
I for one, wouldn't have any problem with anonymous counting, although I imagine you would need a good program to interpret the counts and work out when you have a net flow into an area (meaning someone didn't leave!) I would also support an actual identifying tag, that would identify me specifically to the sensors. However, this information would have to be kept very secure, only able to be accessed if someone goes missing (how you would do this, I'm not sure. A number of supervisors needing to enter passwords?) I don't like the thought of a mugger/rapist/etc tracking me through the forest...
Slashdot Mirror
One ring to call them all
One ringtone to find them
One glowing keypad to annoy them all
And in the darkness blind them
In the land of Nokia where the shadows lie.
http://66.102.7.104/search?q=cache:ikpkIo53mrMJ:ww w.adobe.com/aboutadobe/pressroom/pressreleases/200 404/040405Photoshop.html+photoshop+cs2+mac&hl=en&c lient=safari
Me, I'm hanging out for the mobile phone in a ring (perferably one which sends its audio signals through bone, so you literally stick your finger in your ear, talk into your ring, and away you go!)
Yeah, very good point. I really appreciate having a formula sheet for exams, so that you don't need to remember the drudgery stuff, and can instead actually get onto the important part - problem solving!
Just intuitively, people who are "brighter" tend to have much higher expectations of themselves, and tend to feel (true or not) that other people hold them to a much higher standard as well. So that probably explains why they get distracted by these sort of thoughts. I suspect that the other group just doesn't think about this as much, and just "do their best" (to use a teaching cliche...)
They do make a really good point about the high pressure tests (SAT, etc) that you have to sit for University, say. You have to ask whether this really is a "real life" situation - usually, you can go away and work on something at your own pace (within reason) and reach an answer you're comfortable with, and ultimately, aren't we interested in who can give the best answer, rather than who can give an adequate answer quickest? Again, within reason, and I'm sure certain professions (e.g., lawyers?) have different priorities in different situations. But certainly in physics, I know people who know how to do the problems - they just can't do it in a 2 hour exam. In high school, we had a great system - for the "problem solving" section, you could take as long as you needed (again (!) within reason) to finish it - most people didn't need the extra time, but some did, and did better for it. Perhaps we need to look at that system for other exams as well? Who cares about practicalities... J.
Reminds me of a line from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (cartoon) "[Angry voice] Who's idea was it to put the 6pm news on at 1:00?! [Changes to happy voice] It's brilliant - we'll get the jump on all the other networks!"
(For the record, I wrote this during a second year maths lecture...good ol' vector calculus inspiring my creativity.)
Of course, if you're really keen, you can get one of the high end Canon SLRs...
Most importantly, I don't think you should scrimp on your camera. Those cameras step up in price, according to features more than anything else, but within a particular category there can be quite a spread of prices. I'm not trying to be elitist here (like people who claim you should never use anything less than 256kbps in OGG format for music...) but the efficiency and quality of your camera will really grate after a while if they're not up to scratch.
-
Illuminating Science
"Psychologzier" is another game in a similar vein, and is great fun too, but is out of print. You can still pick it up on Ebay every couple of weeks or so, though. Well worth it! Oh, and "ImagineIff" is great too. (Even if my mathematician friends call it "Imagine if and only if"...)
Articulate is another fabulous game, a sort of verbal Pictionary somewhat akin to Taboo and is absolutely hilarious. Great fun!
Finally, you should try Killer Bunnies. Hilarious when you've got a group of friends, and the designers have put a lot of work into making this quirky game fun. Lots of expansion packs, too!
If there were someway for GIMP to give at least a grey uniform background, that would help a lot.
Joel
http://www.illuminatingscience.org/
Heh! Cool - thanks for the info! I'm going to go and see if I can hunt out a copy of the cartoon now...
Re the moves, I wonder how much of using a lightsaber is taught as moves etc, and how much simply comes from letting the force guide your blade? I don't think we've really seen anything about this? Supporting the force-guiding idea, I guess, is the way Obi-Wan trained Luke, covering his eyes and just letting him feel the force, and also Luke turning off the guidance computer before attacking the Death Star. On the other hand, you'd want to know at least the basics of not chopping of your own arm (or hand... ;)
Mmm, I do see your point. But on the other hand, they tried to battle it out using the force (I loved Yoda's block the lightning too) and the were basically evenly matched. Only when they were using light sabres did it become clear that Yoda was the master - in tune with the force, moving smoothly, etc. The light sabre has always sort of represented the physical part of the force, and the "honour" associated with hand to hand combat, as opposed to guns and the like. In some sense, once you're at a certain level, it's the cheap tricks like lightning, force push and the other video game standards that become unimportant. It's just you, your light sabre and the midocl, er, and the force. IMHO, anyway :)
And I have to say, a Yoda vs Palpatine fight would be very impressive indeed. Although, it does raise a question. Yoda only lost against Count Duku (sp? No idea!) because he's a nice guy who had to exert all his efforts holding up the pillar. So, not really a fair fight, and the Count got away. So what happens when/if Yoda fights Palpatine? Obviously, neither wins in the the kill-or-be-killed sense, so I wonder what happens? Pulling the same trick as last time or simply fighting as a stalling tactic while the other get away, etc, is a bit of a cop out. Oh well! Guess we'll find out soon enough (or not, depending on who you talk to!)
-
Joel
Illuminating Science
Honestly, perhaps the movies weren't as good as the originals, but I still enjoyed them. Watching the trailer definitely gets me enthused about seeing the next one! Both Yoda and the Emperor look like they're going to get some screen time with sabers - awesome!
Actually, that's one thing which I think has been done really well in the preques - the light sabre battles are just awesome.
Ah well, now to wait for the actual trailer.
All comments and, especially, corrections, greatly welcomed.
Human: Holy shit!
ALICE: I'm glad your impressed.
I just wonder whether it's intentional, or whether it's an accident? (And here I hope I got the apostrophes right in that sentence! *grin*)
And I think you're definitely onto something with the misdirection on the first two steps...
-1 = -1
sqrt(-1) = sqrt(-1)
sqrt(-1/1) = sqrt(1/-1)
sqrt(-1)/sqrt(1) = sqrt(1)/sqrt(-1)
sqrt(-1)^2= sqrt(1)^2
-1 = 1
Hence -1=-1 implies -1=1, and thus all numbers are equal.
Now find the flaw in this one :)
You should check out STM backpacks. These are really excellent pieces of equipment, look really sturdy, and definitely don't scream "lots of of electronic goodes within!". Lots of pockets for phone, mp3 player, PDA, etc. They even have an opening for headphones so that you can keep your player in your backpack!
I can't really understand the code well enough to be able to comment on this; anyone? Is it just that they know how the decrypt the system key off an ipod or off Windows, but not anything else?
According to it, the system key can only be obtained (so far) for Windows machines, and is then used to decrypt the user keys which can then be used on the songs. On the iPod, these user keys are (according to the manual, section A.1.2!) stored decrypted. This is what I was referring to in my message.
I was merely commenting that decoding the system key has only been done on Windows, and wondering why that was. scorpioX suggested an explanation in his interesting reply.
I just find it interesting that the DRM was most easily compromised by allowing iTunes for Windows! Is this just because of the sheer user base, meaning things get hacked together faster, or is it more profound, i.e., Windows is more easily hacked. Food for thought :)
PS - I've just ordered by G4 Powerbook laptop (drool, drool), doing the switch from Windows. Faintly nervous, but all my friends (both of them...) are getting the Powerbooks and loving them!
I understand what you mean about preserving the woods, and I agree in principle. But we still put in signs, we still mark trails and make sure that they're clear. If there are unobtrusive sensors on path intersections, particularly if they're tastefully done (embedded in wood, e.g.), then are you really going to care? If it makes the difference between life and death (which this could in winter, say), I think it's worthwhile.
I for one, wouldn't have any problem with anonymous counting, although I imagine you would need a good program to interpret the counts and work out when you have a net flow into an area (meaning someone didn't leave!) I would also support an actual identifying tag, that would identify me specifically to the sensors. However, this information would have to be kept very secure, only able to be accessed if someone goes missing (how you would do this, I'm not sure. A number of supervisors needing to enter passwords?) I don't like the thought of a mugger/rapist/etc tracking me through the forest...
The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog.
That shortens it by one letter, and includes the missing "s"!