Whether you are joking or not, I would say what you just said with complete sincerity. Such an approach would be great practice at critical thinking, and fun to boot. What better way to introduce to students critical thinking, statistics, science, pirates, AND spaghetti?
(rule, law, theorem, whatever - not even the science community seems to use them consistently)
It's probably got more to do with the only subtle differences between those terms than anything else. These are what I understand as typical definitions (after 5 years of study in physics):
Theory - An explanation or model to describe the internal mechanisms of a system.
Theorem - A mathematical derivation, proof, or (complex) equation. Not necessarily related to any particular system.
Law - A simple mathematical equation (or otherwise worded relationship) relating a small number (two or three typically) of aspects of a system. Usually more system-specific.
Rule - Usually a limitation on what a system can or will do, rarely stated in mathematical terms. More often they state the list of things a system will or can do in certain states. I think "rules" commonly define a discreet set as opposed to the continuity of "laws".
I know there's a few qualifiers in that list, but I think that about covers it nicely. I can't think of cases that don't fit off the top of my head, but feel free to present any.
While your argument about the use of notation is true, my correction still stands. The constant you were after in your equation is Plank's constant over 2pi, not Plank's constant itself.
E=h*f where h is Plank's constant and f is frequency. E=hbar*w where hbar is Plank's constant over 2pi and w is angular frequency which equals 2*pi*f. If you were to argue notation you need to either make the correction that w is actually frequency in your equation and not angular frequency, or that h is actually Plank's constant over 2pi and not Plank's constant.
How could we have elected the wrong leaders when the *opposition* is calling for more draconian internet censorship laws than the government? I think we got the least worst option in this case.
You know, we Aussies have a bunch of pricks for a government, but what's worse is we have an even dumber bunch of pricks for an opposition. The leader of the opposition Kim "OMFG" Beazley is actually gunning for a great firewall of Australia - *opt-out* violence and pornography filtering placed mandatorily *at the ISP level*. Not only is that a major affront to civil-liberties, he has precisely no idea just how infeasible this idea is technically. And he expects it to help him win an election.
The sad thing is, pandering to the conservative right like that might just help him. God I wish there was an opposition worth voting for. I'm not asking for much, just some people who, you know, present alternative ideas, and have a clue. Oh, sorry, I forgot these guys are career politicians for a second, ignore me.
I was wanting to install Linux on my iBook for a few months now. This driver was one of the reasons I finally did it (the other being the way MacOS X works was really starting to piss me off).
Unfortunately the only time in a while where I'll have an opportunity to give the wireless a go, last night, it wasn't behaving. It dropped out somehow, and then couldn't get any DHCP offers. Not sure where the problem lies, but new drivers are always a prime suspect.
Anyway, it's cool that with bcm43xx and r300, all the hardware on this machine is driven by open source! (Except maybe a firmware or two...)
It is for a cold-blooded creature, presumably. Instead of struggling to maintain mobility as we do, they slow down and fall asleep...
Good point. I didn't think of that.
Yes, and some kids smash them with golf clubs. Probably, the point is, you are not supposed to enjoy the killing this is why the rather elaborate method is picked. This is, likely, more of an ethical thing, than strictly biological/veterinarian.
I doubt very much that's true. If it's true or not, it's orthogonal. Whether or not someone *enjoys* beating the shit out of these toads is completely beside the point, so long as they're dead quicker than the toad realises what's going on. I'm not usually one to support the death of animals, but cane toads have been a total fuckup since the beginning, and are an extremely serious problem - the only solution to which seems to be to eradicate them. What should anyone care how a toad dies so long as it's quick and painless. (Or, I guess, the alternative: slow and painless.)
If some kid can get his jollies at the same time, I say that's a bonus. In fact, I'd go so far as to encourage that behaviour; it makes for an enjoyable passtime and a bonding experience with mates, it gets kids outdoors, it could give troublemakers something constructive to do (disguised in a destructive way), and it helps in the fight against cane toads where otherwise we'd have to pay to get professionals to do it. Bugger that - where's my golf club?
What I'd like to know is, what's wrong with picking a toad up by its leg, and then pelting it at concrete? Its quick and painless if done with enough enthusiasm. And it doesn't waste freezer space (unless you really wanted that toadsicle).
Yet for some reason we're told to carefully and lovingly put these little bastards in the freezer, apparently so that they won't feel any pain. You ever been out on a freezing night without a jacket? You think freezing to death is painless?
Sounds like an idea for a movie. Add some zombies, and give Frank a sidekick, like a sassy talking dog or something. Hey, get Bruce Willis to play Frankie. I reckon we got winner here!
Don't bet on it. The 'good ol boys' are going to be doing their damnedest to stay right where they are for as long as they have ready access to a defibrillator. Or at the very least pass their power on to younger 'good ol boys', but then not much has changed. Meet the new boss, same as the old boss.
I reckon it may be longer than 10 to 20 years until sanity returns, but by then, our definition of sanity will have moved on aswell, and we'll still be left complaining about the stupidity legislators and ultimate futility of their laws.
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Whether you are joking or not, I would say what you just said with complete sincerity. Such an approach would be great practice at critical thinking, and fun to boot. What better way to introduce to students critical thinking, statistics, science, pirates, AND spaghetti?
It's probably got more to do with the only subtle differences between those terms than anything else. These are what I understand as typical definitions (after 5 years of study in physics):
I know there's a few qualifiers in that list, but I think that about covers it nicely. I can't think of cases that don't fit off the top of my head, but feel free to present any.
While your argument about the use of notation is true, my correction still stands. The constant you were after in your equation is Plank's constant over 2pi, not Plank's constant itself.
E=h*f where h is Plank's constant and f is frequency. E=hbar*w where hbar is Plank's constant over 2pi and w is angular frequency which equals 2*pi*f. If you were to argue notation you need to either make the correction that w is actually frequency in your equation and not angular frequency, or that h is actually Plank's constant over 2pi and not Plank's constant.
Correction. The h in your equations should be h bar, or (more easy to type) use f (frequency) instead of w (angular frequency).
That should actually be |a|^2 and |b|^2, ie the square of the modulus. a and b are called amplitudes, and they are not necessarily real numbers.
Sincerely,
A Fellow Pedant
How could we have elected the wrong leaders when the *opposition* is calling for more draconian internet censorship laws than the government? I think we got the least worst option in this case.
You know, we Aussies have a bunch of pricks for a government, but what's worse is we have an even dumber bunch of pricks for an opposition. The leader of the opposition Kim "OMFG" Beazley is actually gunning for a great firewall of Australia - *opt-out* violence and pornography filtering placed mandatorily *at the ISP level*. Not only is that a major affront to civil-liberties, he has precisely no idea just how infeasible this idea is technically. And he expects it to help him win an election.
The sad thing is, pandering to the conservative right like that might just help him. God I wish there was an opposition worth voting for. I'm not asking for much, just some people who, you know, present alternative ideas, and have a clue. Oh, sorry, I forgot these guys are career politicians for a second, ignore me.
I was wanting to install Linux on my iBook for a few months now. This driver was one of the reasons I finally did it (the other being the way MacOS X works was really starting to piss me off).
Unfortunately the only time in a while where I'll have an opportunity to give the wireless a go, last night, it wasn't behaving. It dropped out somehow, and then couldn't get any DHCP offers. Not sure where the problem lies, but new drivers are always a prime suspect.
Anyway, it's cool that with bcm43xx and r300, all the hardware on this machine is driven by open source! (Except maybe a firmware or two...)
Good point. I didn't think of that.
I doubt very much that's true. If it's true or not, it's orthogonal. Whether or not someone *enjoys* beating the shit out of these toads is completely beside the point, so long as they're dead quicker than the toad realises what's going on. I'm not usually one to support the death of animals, but cane toads have been a total fuckup since the beginning, and are an extremely serious problem - the only solution to which seems to be to eradicate them. What should anyone care how a toad dies so long as it's quick and painless. (Or, I guess, the alternative: slow and painless.)
If some kid can get his jollies at the same time, I say that's a bonus. In fact, I'd go so far as to encourage that behaviour; it makes for an enjoyable passtime and a bonding experience with mates, it gets kids outdoors, it could give troublemakers something constructive to do (disguised in a destructive way), and it helps in the fight against cane toads where otherwise we'd have to pay to get professionals to do it. Bugger that - where's my golf club?
"The humane way to kill them"
What I'd like to know is, what's wrong with picking a toad up by its leg, and then pelting it at concrete? Its quick and painless if done with enough enthusiasm. And it doesn't waste freezer space (unless you really wanted that toadsicle).
Yet for some reason we're told to carefully and lovingly put these little bastards in the freezer, apparently so that they won't feel any pain. You ever been out on a freezing night without a jacket? You think freezing to death is painless?
Sounds like an idea for a movie. Add some zombies, and give Frank a sidekick, like a sassy talking dog or something. Hey, get Bruce Willis to play Frankie. I reckon we got winner here!
It's too hot in Darwin.
Don't bet on it. The 'good ol boys' are going to be doing their damnedest to stay right where they are for as long as they have ready access to a defibrillator. Or at the very least pass their power on to younger 'good ol boys', but then not much has changed. Meet the new boss, same as the old boss.
I reckon it may be longer than 10 to 20 years until sanity returns, but by then, our definition of sanity will have moved on aswell, and we'll still be left complaining about the stupidity legislators and ultimate futility of their laws.
"Hey you rootkits! Get off my PC!"