Friday, December 30, 2005
Lord love a duck! Viaduck? Vy not?
If you really, really, want to find out how things work, go to the University of Colorado Physics 2000 web site. While researching Entanglement, I followed a link to their site. I have never seen such good use of computer graphics and animation applets for seeing the unseen. A basic and non-mathematical foray into physics. Find out how LCD screens and liquid crystals work, among other things (hint - the polarization article).
As to the first quest, entanglement, go read Dave Jarvis' writings on the subject.
Posted 10:13 AM by Andy (2) comments
Comments:
- Yikes, if I had the time, this would be great fun. Thanks for those stimulating wake up calls for my slowly deteriorating brain.
Btw, Hudson FL looks like it could be very pretty, small gulf side gem way over there on the other side of the state. How are the beaches? Dog friendly? Probably a good 5-6 hour drive to my neck of the woods.
I would love to email you. How do I get past your spam master?
Terri
Post a Comment- When the email daemon sends you a confirmation request, simply respond as requested. Or send an email normally and I can find it in the "pending" list and open the gate manually. I check about once per week. Hudson is tucked inland about three miles amidst the creeping spread inland from the traffic-death of Route 19 along the coast. Development is continuing with lots and lots of lots. Of course, no regional planning for water, septic or traffic increase. Everyone still has wells and needs chelating, softening and chlorine treatment to render ground water fit for human and appliance consumption. Plus, this area of Florida is subject to sinkhole subsidence. Not quite paradise lost. More like paradise deferred.
Thursday, December 29, 2005
Around the middle of last November I sent this email to a "contact us" email address I found on the Lorain County Metro Parks web site:
Dear LCMP,A few days later I received this:
As a fairly regular user of the LC Metro Parks system I was glad to see that the recent tax levy passed. Now that you have oodles of funds (just kidding) to work with I would like to suggest a low cost addition to the parks that I'm sure would be enjoyed by a significant segment of the local population. How about creating a dog park?
Having recently adopted a young dog from a local shelter I did some Googling and found a list of Ohio dog parks here: (http://www.ecoanimal.com/dogfun/ohio.html). None were local but I was curious as to what a dog park consisted of so, one Saturday, I packed up my pooch and visited the park in Medina. It wasn't much really, smaller than I expected, just some fencing and a couple of picnic tables, and no one else was there. At first glance it didn't seem worth the rather long drive. It turned out to be a pretty nice time though once a few other people (and dogs) turned up. My pup got to play to her hearts content and the people fell into conversations easily due to an obvious shared interest. I enjoyed myself and would like to go again but it's just too far away. Sure wish there was one in Lorain County.
So how about it?
Sincerely,
Russ Whatley
Dear Russ:
Dog park areas are becoming more popular throughout the state. There has been some interest in the Oberlin community. It is my understanding the new Russia Township trustees are considering a site. If you have any other ideas please feel free to contact me directly,
Sincerely,
James D. Martin, Director
Lorain County Metro Parks
12882 Diagonal Road
LaGrange, Ohio 44050
Well, it's nice they took time to respond. And from the Director no less. But... I didn't ask about Oberlin, or Russia Township. I don't pay taxes there. I pay 'em here. He responded in what I feel is a roundabout way, kind of telling me to fuck off without specifically saying so. Mentioning that I could contact him directly was a nice touch, apparently only if I have "other ideas" though. Unfortunately I don't. Tell the truth I'm pretty happy if I have one idea per quarter, and this was it.
So, where do I go from here?
Posted 9:16 AM by whatley (2) comments
Comments:
- Why not pick a site that you feel is best suited to this application, and create a layout of the proposed installation. Get some quotes from a fence company, identify some extra picnic tables that can be moved from one place to another, and send an open letter to the paper with htis information requesting like-minded residents join in support?
Post a Comment- I have thought about writing a letter to the editor. In fact my post here is more or less the format I was thinking about using. A lot of people read that part of the paper.
One thing I only noticed after posting. In my original letter I say "Sure wish there was one in Lorain County", so his reply mentioning Oberlin and Russia Township isn't as far off the mark as I first thought. Rats. I should have been more specific and said Elyria or the LC Metro Parks.
Tuesday, December 27, 2005
From todays NYTimes: Quantum Trickery: Testing Einstein's Strangest Theory:
"Nary a week goes by that does not bring news of another feat of quantum trickery once only dreamed of in thought experiments: particles (or at least all their properties) being teleported across the room in a microscopic version of Star Trek beaming; electrical 'cat' currents that circle a loop in opposite directions at the same time; more and more particles farther and farther apart bound together in Einstein's spooky embrace now known as 'entanglement.' At the University of California, Santa Barbara, researchers are planning an experiment in which a small mirror will be in two places at once."
Posted 5:59 AM by whatley (2) comments
Comments:
- Thoughts on quantum theory by various scientists:
"On quantum theory, I use up more brain grease than on relativity."
Albert Einstein to Otto Stern in 1911
"Those are the crazy people who are not working on quantum theory."
Albert Einstein referring to the inmates of an insane asylum near his office in Prague, in 1911
"I could probably have arrived at something like this myself, but if all this is true then it means the end of physics."
Albert Einstein, referring to a 1913 breakthrough by Niels Bohr
"Anyone who is not shocked by quantum theory has not understood a single word."
Niels Bohr
"I don't like it, and I'm sorry I ever had anything to do with it."
Erwin Schrödinger about the probability interpretation of quantum mechanics
"What we observe is not nature itself, but nature exposed to our method of questioning."
Werner Heisenberg, 1963
"You know how it always is, every new idea, it takes a generation or two until it becomes obvious that there's no real problem. I cannot define the real problem, therefore I suspect there's no real problem, but I'm not sure there's no real problem."
Richard Feynman, 1982
Post a Comment- Feynman reinvented the wheel each time he attacked a new problem. Since the time when he invented differential and integral calculus in high school, he always jumped outside the box to view the world. Some interpretations of entanglement imply that states of matter and energy coexist across vast times and distances. Or, conversely, everything is, and was, and will be, right now forever. Michael Chrichton's book "Timeline" uses this to postulate time travel in support of archeology and tourism in Medieval France. Drawbacks include "transcription errors" when you are being re-assembled. If your parts do not all line up, problems may result. Matter transporters in sci-fi occasionally scramble their passengers. Get a horse.
Sunday, December 25, 2005
In case you forgot to hang your stocking, or hung it but found a lump of coal inside (considering natural gas prices this year maybe not such a bad deal), here are a couple of stuffers to help pass the time while waiting for dinner to be ready.
If you're the cook and have to get up and check things every few minutes you can play these marble games. Remember the little tilt-the-bead-thru-the-maze toys our parents gave us to keep us ammused on long drives? Same idea.
If your only job is aroma monitoring this should keep you busy until it's time to dig in.
Merry Christmas Mookies!
Posted 6:39 AM by whatley (1) comments
Comments:
Post a Comment- I totally lost my marbles, but the sliding bar game has a rythmic pattern that plays like music (in a 16/37 time signature).
Wednesday, December 21, 2005
Because I'd already posted about my mom on 11/29 when asking for help in moving some of her things I'll go ahead now and post the end of the story. My uncle called me early yesterday morning after being alerted by the nursing home that my mom had become unresposive and the end may be near. I left for Youngstown immediately but she was gone before I arrived. Her funeral will be Friday. Though this was hardly unexpected you can only prepare yourself so far. When it actually happens... well, I'm sure you know what I mean.
Posted 6:22 AM by whatley (5) comments
Comments:
Post a Comment- Thank you all very much for your kind thoughts.
I just sent off an email and in it mentioned a few lines from a Grateful Dead song that kept going through my head off and on today.
It's the same story the crow told me
It's the only one he knows
Like the morning sun we come
And like the wind we go
Not exactly great poetry or particularly deep. Just got stuck in my head the way those things do.
Tuesday, December 20, 2005
Well, you can't teach "Intelligent Design" in Dover, Pa. if you call it science. It is unconstitutional. US Federal Judge John Jones ( a 2002 G.W Bush appointee) went to town and drilled the subject down to its basics. He noted that even the scientist "expert witnesses" for ID conceded that the supernatural was needed to support the theory. On the other hand, evolution theory uses observable and repeatable phenomena to support its precepts. The "science" textbook that is being presented by ID proponents, "Of Pandas and People", had an early edition citing "Creationism" throughout the text. Later editions commited cut-and-paste to replace the word "Creationism" with the words "Intelligent Design". A smoking link to the religious roots and an example of Intelligence Decline.
Posted 9:36 PM by Andy (0) comments
Comments:
Sunday, December 18, 2005
"Product placement" (Wikipedia and HowStuffWorks) seems to have become a practice more or less accepted by the long suffering public. I personally think it sucks and is further evidence of the fall of western society, but that's just me. Now though it seems that product placement has risen to new heights (fallen to new depths?). Some op-ed pieces in your local paper are nothing more than ads. Isn't this payola?
Posted 6:14 AM by whatley (1) comments
Comments:
Thursday, December 15, 2005
Seems that the federal government is spending some time enjoying the sand and sun with all the other snowbirds. Check out their stop in my neck of the woods.Click here: Pentagon calls Lake Worth peace meeting a 'threat' . The meeting participants thought the guys dressed up as "anarchists" (whatever that is) who kept showing up at their functions were a little suspicious. The evidence? Their Nike shoes. Apparently, true anarchists would sooner die than contribute to the icon of corporate greed. I just think there are better shoes elsewhere. I am a Saucony girl, myself.
Posted 6:10 PM by Terri S (4) comments
Comments:
- All those who thought the Defense Dept./FBI etc. would treat dissent any differently today than they did in the '60's over Viet Nam, the '50's over McCarthyism, the '30's and earlier over union organizing, please raise your hands.
Hmm... no hands.
- What's a Saucony? Something oozed over unpronounceable pasta? Gotta watch that Seminola Gang. Trying to undermine good ol' (South) American beef and beef byproducts.
Post a Comment- Mmmm, now I am hungry! But first let me lace up my size 5 1/2, C width, not manufactured by near slave labor in Malaysia, means to my daily sweat and meditation, get out the door and earn the right to enjoy those culinary delights.
Monday, December 12, 2005
Roscius (126-62 B.C.) was one of Rome's great comedians and when he retired he received such acclaim (and money) that he decided to make a comeback. So he could retire again. Which he did. And again. And then again. I mention this because the Hooligans will be playing at the Creekside Tavern in Avon (corner of 611 & 254) on Wednesday December 28 from 7 until 11. First time together since last July. That Roscius. Maybe he was on to something.
Posted 3:42 PM by ralph (6) comments
Comments:
Post a Comment- Four, yes. Namely, Tim Wallace, Tom Wang, and the Brothers McGinnis - Ben and Ralph. Should any Hooligans of past incarnations show up, however, well, things could get seriously out of hand.
Friday, December 09, 2005
The Other I.D.: "Don Wise, professor emeritus of geosciences at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, is the nation's foremost proponent of ID. No, Wise isn't getting ready to testify on behalf of the school board in Dover, PA. Rather, he advocates for a different version of the acronym: 'incompetent design.'"
(sung to the tune of "The Battle Hymn of the Republic")
My bones proclaim a story of incompetent design.
My back still hurts, my sinus clogs, my teeth just won’t align.
If I had drawn the blueprint, I would cer-tain-ly resign.
Incompetent Design!
Evo-Evo-Evo-lution! Design is but a mere illusion.
Darwin sparked our revolution. Science SHALL prevail!
Special holiday bonus link: "It's a Wonderful Life".
In 30 seconds. And re-enacted by bunnies.
Posted 5:41 AM by whatley (1) comments
Comments:
Sunday, December 04, 2005
Thanks be to The Flying Spaghetti Monster, Andy was found!
Time for another RBT quest.
Your new mission, should you choose to accept it: Whatever happened to Sally?
Posted 12:43 PM by whatley (1) comments
Comments:
Saturday, December 03, 2005
I've been following the Sony BMG copy-protection story (scandal?) for awhile but, because it's a long story, been widely reported elsewhere, and is kind of complicated tech-wise, never posted about it. Then I started thinking how many of us may be giving/getting CD's as presents and decided to provide a few links that, should you be interested, will bring you up to speed on the whole issue. My personal take is that I won't be buying any music CD's at all for a long time to come.
Wired News: Real Story of the Rogue Rootkit
"It's a David and Goliath story of the tech blogs defeating a mega-corporation.
On Oct. 31, Mark Russinovich broke the story in his blog: Sony BMG Music Entertainment distributed a copy-protection scheme with music CD's that secretly installed a rootkit on computers. This software tool is run without your knowledge or consent -- if it's loaded on your computer with a CD, a hacker can gain and maintain access to your system and you wouldn't know it."
Wikipedia: 2005 Sony CD copy protection controversy
"The 2005 Sony CD copy protection controversy is a public controversy relating to copy protection software known as Extended Copy Protection (XCP), created by First 4 Internet and used by the media company Sony BMG Music Entertainment (henceforth "Sony", though that more accurately refers to the corporate parent of one of the partners in Sony BMG) on audio CD's."
Posted 6:07 AM by whatley (1) comments
Comments:
Post a Comment- Geeze. It should be safe if you don't play the CD on a computer? Stick to car players or dumb stereos? Between laws against sharing, and subversive copy-protection, the music industry is paranoiding itself into extinction. Here comes the rise of self-publishing musicians who do direct download to their fans. I would rather pay the artist than the mega-store.
Friday, December 02, 2005
Easily amused? Here's some string to play with.
Posted 4:03 PM by whatley (4) comments
Comments:
Post a Comment- Yow! I wanna be able to set the spring coefficient (k) and the damping (c) for each spring separately, and to have a three-dimensional set of squares. Voila! A building earthquake simulator!
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