Heh.
You see, for those who are forced to take certain subjects in their first year simply because it's a "requirement", the labs in these courses may very well seem trivial.
Sure, gravity works. But that's not the purpose of the lab. Rather, it's the analytical method that is being explored, as well as the strong links between the pure math and the physical world. And sure, those first year labs are rather dull. (My first uni chem lab was making a solution from Kool-aid. No joke.)
But even by 2nd/3rd year chem/physics courses, you were doing some neat stuff. Like using real radioisotopes and Geiger counters to measure the half-life (and hence determine the isotope itself) of an unknown element.
Think Timmy's chem set will include some radioactive Cesium?
But again, this is speaking from a "hard physical sciences" point of view. CS "labs" are really more "assigned time in your schedule to do assignments". Same for Math. Indeed, YMMV:)
While I agree with your point (I stayed at university long enough to get a PhD, so I'm naturally biased towards believing that it is beneficial), a university is not the only way of getting that kind of education. My stepfather is a good counterexample. He never went to university, but instead spent several years backpacking around the world (picking fruit and doing similar jobs to earn enough to make the next leg of the journey). He met all sorts of interesting people doing that, and read whatever was available wherever he was staying, so got a very broad education along the way.
Which kind of proves the original point: your father never attended a "real" uni per se, but he sure as hell didn't say home "discovering" the world at his couch via an internet connection. Indeed, his "university" was quite possibly one of the best for those who are best suited for it.
And while you weren't the one to mention it, but seeing as I'm posting here, being a student of the physical sciences myself (physics/chem) has shown me what REAL labs are like: the equipment required, the safety concerns that must be met, and the general stock of gear and chemicals.... "shipping a chemistry set"? That made me laugh....
Ah! Therein lies part of the rub... a film photo was 'permanent'. Sure you could destroy the negative, etc. afterwards, but once taken the picture was forever.
Now you can 'delete' that history with a push of a button.
Mind you, both formats have their benefits, and the practicality of digital is hard to beat. But I propose this philosophical question:
If a picture is worth deleting, was it not worth the effort to snap in the first place? As a bit of an amateur photog myself (using both formats), if I make the effort to frame a shot then I will want a permanent copy of it.
Now, perhaps because digital is so convenient folks have taken to hitting the shutter release before thinking 'enough light? in focus? proper framing?' But that's another topic...
No offense, and Chicago is most definitely in the mid-west, but it is "big-time" mid-west. Think mid-west outside of the _major_ centres.
And I'm nowhere near you (Loc: Newfoundland,CA). Here on the rock, central region in particular, house prices are some of the cheapest you've ever seen anywhere - except in it's major centre, Grand Falls-Windsor, where prices are (relatively) astronomical. And GF-W ain't posh or huge (pop: ~18k).
I'll assume that was his point;P
You know, Vista may be a work in progress, but Balmer's leadership of the company has most definitely stalled.
Microsoft's reputation in the PC marketplace is anything but positive (i.e. neutral at best). They (and their software) are only big and popular (read: ubiquitous) due to inertia and lock-in.
It's time for the tech community to just move on - completely ignore MS, deal with their s/w as needed, and replace it with "futureware" when it makes sense. Really.
The "deadhorse" tag most certainly applies to this OS. Stop paying attention to anything Balmer blurts out of (any of) his orifices. He's prolly some of the most dead weight at that company anyways.
...for this new drug to be called "Gleemonex". And it should be orange in colour, nevermind the fact that it's actually pale blue in it's native synthesized form:P
Let's see. For starters I'd want a 200 Mhz dual trace 'scope (storage option a bonus), a 1+ GHz spectrum analyser, two or three nice VOMs, a couple of fully-featured AF signal generators, an RF generator capable of all-mode modulation (AM, FM, SSB, FSK, etc..), a nice'n'clean class-AB stereo AF amplifier (with a lower power _pure_ class-A stereo amp for headphones or other ultra low distortion applications), a power supply with a half-dozen or so matched +/- voltage rails, a 100 watt (or so) linear RF amplifier, an RF power/VSWR meter, and a primo soldering station.
On the _other_ bench, I'd want a drill press, band saw, lathe, Dremel(TM) with all the accessories, a PCB milling machine (or a reasonable equivalent), and all the hand tools one would possibly need for homebrewing circuits.
Oh, and a good selection of electronic components. A _metric_shitload_ of electronic components.
Somewhere I'd want a computer w/ 17" monitor for automation and stuff, but, hey I'd rather design a bloody computer and build it from scratch as opposed to assembling and fixing the damn things;P
Yup. All of your points are quite valid. The main problem here though is probably "Big Radio". Because spectrum is scarce and the need for a reliable means of the most essential means of receiving information exists, we do need the FCC (or the CRTC up here in the Great White North) to enforce rules regarding the improper use of the public airwaves. However, the airwaves are a "public" resource, and some of it should be allocated to any Joe who wishes to operate a low power (ie. a couple of watts or less) FM station as a service to the community. The need for licencing such LPFM stations is still there (to let the authorities know who is who), but it should be more trivial for folks to obtain said licences. Big radio will always be able to play the game, but much pressure has been applied over the years to make them the only player.
Uhh, except the Earth will barely move (with respect to angular position) in only a couple of days... think: if it takes one YEAR (365 days) for the Earth to orbit the sun (rotation of the Earth is unimportant here) then in two days the earth will move (2/365)*360 degrees ((2/365)*2pi radians if you prefer;), or a whopping ~1 degree. Given the size of these CME's and their area of effect, If the Sun is pointing at us when it ejects, then we _will_ get the brunt of it.
I think what they are refering to here has to do with how our hearing itself works on a logarithmic scale, so a ten-fold increase in the signal amplitude (+10dB) has the _effect_ of the doubling of the volume. A doubling of the signal amplitude (+3dB) is perceived as a "bit louder, but not much" even though the increase in power is quadrupled.
Note that for these numbers I've assumed the equation dB=10 x log(I/Io). If memory serves me right, SPL uses the function dB=20 x log(I/Io), therefore 3 dB up or down refer to a doubling (or halfing) of the _power_ rather than signal amplitude (ie. the voltage feeding the speakers).
Wouldn't it be nice if chemistry was taught? And taught in a way that was effective?
Heh, indeed.
Now pay attention class:) This is a classic example of a redox reaction where the iron(III) chloride (FeCl3) acts as a fairly powerful oxidizer, at least to bare copper metal. The iron 3+ ions react readily to the surface of the copper, and the copper metal becomes oxidized to copper 1+ ions (the iron is reduced in the reaction from 3+ to 2+ - hence the name of the reaction: REDuction-OXidation). The chloride ions have to real purpose in such a reaction - they are spectator ions - simply there the balance out the overall electronic charge.
Copper itself is actually LESS reactive than iron (typically - in their metal forms). The filings you speak of is probably a precipitate of some sort of the iron(II) ions. I believe the lower oxidation state salts of iron are less soluble than it's iron (III) counterpart. It could be accurately described a chemical-leftover crud:)
If radio antennas were more like radio telescopes instead, a radio could "see" in which direction a particular radio station transmits from, and thus tell them apart. Currently that would be prohibitively expensive, but it does show that the supposed "interference" is an artifact of the sensing device, not of the waves themselves.
Actually, antennas can be designed to behave as "radio-telescopes" without being expensive - they're called Yagi, Yagi-Uda, or "beam" antennas. Think of "television"-style antennas mounted atop many roofs, the one with several elements mounted vertically or hozizontally and all parallel to each other with each successive element slightly shorter than the last. These can sometimes provide quite a bit of gain in the direction they're pointed in coupled with a decent amount of rejection from "side-on" signals.
But, yeah, the problem here is when joe public wants to use nothing more complicated than a set of rabbit ears or a telescoping whip to receive (or transmit for that matter). With no directionality in the cheap antennas, you have no control over where your signal goes or where you want it to come from.
Instead of interpreting this article as how some guy thinks he's really 'leet or whatnot, perhaps he just felt that a story of how a little sweat, experimentation and curiousity can oftentimes lead one up the path to both a neat project where one can save some dough and _learn_ something in the process.
In fact, I see this story as a reminder that as curious beings, we should not feel afraid of trying something for ourselves instead of relying on fully "plug-n-play" solutions. I often think that too many things these days come "ready to use!", "Use once and throw away!", "No need to think and fuss, just plug-n-go!".
It's an adventurous experimental heart like this that will either discover the next phenomenon or invent the new revolutionary tool.
You know, it's ironic that just a couple of stories ago dealt with the final RIP for the betamax format. Here we have the same thing, except this time it's a piece of software (or more specifically, a method) of skinning the cat.
Betamax was at first hugely popular, until VHS became the lesser evil w.r.t technology licencing. Where is beta now? I know I have two VHS machines in this houshold, but beta never entered the picture (no pun intended). Sony wanted royalties, JVC was friendlier -- guess which won in the long term?
We need to do the same with MP3 -- tho it is entrenched, those with the means should drop it like a hot potato and pick up OGG as the best format. Eventually, MP3 == Betamax, and the rest will be history.
Perhaps, but it was my impression that it was due to an internal focus group using gobs of brainpower to come to that conclusion. Why would AOL use something as simple as customer survey?:-)
Sure, for radios and such. Problem with xmit-only devices on the internet is the handshaking that normally takes place over TCP/IP connections. I'm probably missing something here, but even a simple transmit-data-only device may need to receive some data to create a connection. The amount and what type of data that can be received can be highly limited but it was always my understanding that there is no such thing as a "PURE" xmit-only internet device.
Escape Velocity is only important if you never want to see your rocket again;-) Even then it's only important when your maximum momentum is achived at lift-off. Most long-burning rockets need not come close to escape velocity to reach alts of 100 miles or more.
Slashdot Mirror
In fact, it was only a few days ago that Dilbert's company suggested the same thing.
See? Same old same old.....
Sure, gravity works. But that's not the purpose of the lab. Rather, it's the analytical method that is being explored, as well as the strong links between the pure math and the physical world. And sure, those first year labs are rather dull. (My first uni chem lab was making a solution from Kool-aid. No joke.)
But even by 2nd/3rd year chem/physics courses, you were doing some neat stuff. Like using real radioisotopes and Geiger counters to measure the half-life (and hence determine the isotope itself) of an unknown element.
Think Timmy's chem set will include some radioactive Cesium?
But again, this is speaking from a "hard physical sciences" point of view. CS "labs" are really more "assigned time in your schedule to do assignments". Same for Math. Indeed, YMMV :)
While I agree with your point (I stayed at university long enough to get a PhD, so I'm naturally biased towards believing that it is beneficial), a university is not the only way of getting that kind of education. My stepfather is a good counterexample. He never went to university, but instead spent several years backpacking around the world (picking fruit and doing similar jobs to earn enough to make the next leg of the journey). He met all sorts of interesting people doing that, and read whatever was available wherever he was staying, so got a very broad education along the way.
Which kind of proves the original point: your father never attended a "real" uni per se, but he sure as hell didn't say home "discovering" the world at his couch via an internet connection. Indeed, his "university" was quite possibly one of the best for those who are best suited for it.
And while you weren't the one to mention it, but seeing as I'm posting here, being a student of the physical sciences myself (physics/chem) has shown me what REAL labs are like: the equipment required, the safety concerns that must be met, and the general stock of gear and chemicals.... "shipping a chemistry set"? That made me laugh....
Now you can 'delete' that history with a push of a button.
Mind you, both formats have their benefits, and the practicality of digital is hard to beat. But I propose this philosophical question:
If a picture is worth deleting, was it not worth the effort to snap in the first place? As a bit of an amateur photog myself (using both formats), if I make the effort to frame a shot then I will want a permanent copy of it.
Now, perhaps because digital is so convenient folks have taken to hitting the shutter release before thinking 'enough light? in focus? proper framing?' But that's another topic...
Trust me, anytime factual observations are ignored or disputed simply because someone/group doesn't like what they see, they do so at their own peril.
Wan't proof? See Creationism.
Q.E.D.
No offense, and Chicago is most definitely in the mid-west, but it is "big-time" mid-west. Think mid-west outside of the _major_ centres. ,CA). Here on the rock, central region in particular, house prices are some of the cheapest you've ever seen anywhere - except in it's major centre, Grand Falls-Windsor, where prices are (relatively) astronomical. And GF-W ain't posh or huge (pop: ~18k).
;P
And I'm nowhere near you (Loc: Newfoundland
I'll assume that was his point
You know, Vista may be a work in progress, but Balmer's leadership of the company has most definitely stalled. Microsoft's reputation in the PC marketplace is anything but positive (i.e. neutral at best). They (and their software) are only big and popular (read: ubiquitous) due to inertia and lock-in. It's time for the tech community to just move on - completely ignore MS, deal with their s/w as needed, and replace it with "futureware" when it makes sense. Really. The "deadhorse" tag most certainly applies to this OS. Stop paying attention to anything Balmer blurts out of (any of) his orifices. He's prolly some of the most dead weight at that company anyways.
...or Anglican. You know, Roman Catholics "once removed". That is, if we could all agree that it would be acceptable. Personally, I say yes! :)
...for this new drug to be called "Gleemonex". And it should be orange in colour, nevermind the fact that it's actually pale blue in it's native synthesized form :P
:)
Go watch "Brain Candy", it'll be good for you
On the _other_ bench, I'd want a drill press, band saw, lathe, Dremel(TM) with all the accessories, a PCB milling machine (or a reasonable equivalent), and all the hand tools one would possibly need for homebrewing circuits.
Oh, and a good selection of electronic components. A _metric_shitload_ of electronic components.
Somewhere I'd want a computer w/ 17" monitor for automation and stuff, but, hey I'd rather design a bloody computer and build it from scratch as opposed to assembling and fixing the damn things ;P
73, DE VO1JWW
Good point though. Perhaps in my mind I was doing an "int degrees;" as opposed to "float degrees;" ;P
I'll shut up now...
"It's all fun and games until someone loses and eye,... then it becomes a sport!"
Cheers!
Note that for these numbers I've assumed the equation dB=10 x log(I/Io). If memory serves me right, SPL uses the function dB=20 x log(I/Io), therefore 3 dB up or down refer to a doubling (or halfing) of the _power_ rather than signal amplitude (ie. the voltage feeding the speakers).
This concludes our physics lesson for the day ;)
Now pay attention class :) This is a classic example of a redox reaction where the iron(III) chloride (FeCl3) acts as a fairly powerful oxidizer, at least to bare copper metal. The iron 3+ ions react readily to the surface of the copper, and the copper metal becomes oxidized to copper 1+ ions (the iron is reduced in the reaction from 3+ to 2+ - hence the name of the reaction: REDuction-OXidation). The chloride ions have to real purpose in such a reaction - they are spectator ions - simply there the balance out the overall electronic charge.
Copper itself is actually LESS reactive than iron (typically - in their metal forms). The filings you speak of is probably a precipitate of some sort of the iron(II) ions. I believe the lower oxidation state salts of iron are less soluble than it's iron (III) counterpart. It could be accurately described a chemical-leftover crud :)
But, yeah, the problem here is when joe public wants to use nothing more complicated than a set of rabbit ears or a telescoping whip to receive (or transmit for that matter). With no directionality in the cheap antennas, you have no control over where your signal goes or where you want it to come from.
73 DE VO1JWW
ROFL..... Any idea what this would weigh? 8)
The person wouldn't even be able to stand, let alone ride the subway!
But, surely you jest ;)
Instead of interpreting this article as how some guy thinks he's really 'leet or whatnot, perhaps he just felt that a story of how a little sweat, experimentation and curiousity can oftentimes lead one up the path to both a neat project where one can save some dough and _learn_ something in the process.
In fact, I see this story as a reminder that as curious beings, we should not feel afraid of trying something for ourselves instead of relying on fully "plug-n-play" solutions. I often think that too many things these days come "ready to use!", "Use once and throw away!", "No need to think and fuss, just plug-n-go!".
It's an adventurous experimental heart like this that will either discover the next phenomenon or invent the new revolutionary tool.
it would be poetic justice. But they are crushing a Linux box. Why the unjustifiable violence?
Betamax was at first hugely popular, until VHS became the lesser evil w.r.t technology licencing. Where is beta now? I know I have two VHS machines in this houshold, but beta never entered the picture (no pun intended). Sony wanted royalties, JVC was friendlier -- guess which won in the long term?
We need to do the same with MP3 -- tho it is entrenched, those with the means should drop it like a hot potato and pick up OGG as the best format. Eventually, MP3 == Betamax, and the rest will be history.
Perhaps, but it was my impression that it was due to an internal focus group using gobs of brainpower to come to that conclusion. Why would AOL use something as simple as customer survey? :-)
Sure, for radios and such. Problem with xmit-only devices on the internet is the handshaking that normally takes place over TCP/IP connections. I'm probably missing something here, but even a simple transmit-data-only device may need to receive some data to create a connection. The amount and what type of data that can be received can be highly limited but it was always my understanding that there is no such thing as a "PURE" xmit-only internet device.
Anybody who can enlighten me a little further?
Escape Velocity is only important if you never want to see your rocket again ;-) Even then it's only important when your maximum momentum is achived at lift-off. Most long-burning rockets need not come close to escape velocity to reach alts of 100 miles or more.
That should fix it!