Random Thoughts 7

[Tom.G]

Which website/airline?
(would really like to avoid them!)

 

[Borg]

Which website/airline?
(would really like to avoid them!)

It was United but I think that it was just a glitch. Their web site has actually improved a lot over the last few years. Also, this travel is occurring within the next two weeks which is when a lot of airlines tend to increase their prices (last minute travel is expensive). Fortunately, the price returned to normal and we were able to book it. This morning the price is back up again (from my work computer) so we probably snagged it just in time.

From what I've seen, it's pretty common in the industry to try to scare people into making a purchase before it "goes up in price again". Whenever I book any travel or hotel rooms, I make sure that I have one option open and then try the same search from another browser that has had its cookies cleared. Patience usually wins the day but this particular incident was a little tougher to overcome.

 

[fresh_42]

How do they do this?

I wrote $e^{i\pi}+1=0$ somewhere on the internet, but behind what is publically visual in an unreleased WordPress document, and on my computer in a corresponding tex-file. Then I got this FB ad:

How do they know?

 

[gmax137]

​

Calling yourself non-binary categorizes everyone into binary or non-binary, creating a binary system that makes you binary again.

https://www.physicsforums.com/threads/collection-of-lame-jokes.25301/post-6930480

Spoiler: Fun fact!

But one US pint of water weighs one pound!

Yeah, not really. More like 1.04 pounds per (US) gallon. I don't know where that "a pint's a pound, the world around" thing comes from. google, google... I think 16 imperial fluid ounces of water weigh 1 pound. But an imperial pint is 20 imp fl oz, which would weigh 1.25 pounds. Maybe one of you older Brits (I won't name names) can comment.

 

[collinsmark]

[...] More like 1.04 pounds per (US) gallon. I don't know where that "a pint's a pound, the world around" thing comes from. google, google... I think 16 imperial fluid ounces of water weigh 1 pound. But an imperial pint is 20 imp fl oz, which would weigh 1.25 pounds. Maybe one of you older Brits (I won't name names) can comment.

Guinness drinkers will confirm that 1 pint (as in an imperial pint) is 20 fluid ounces.

But outside the subject of beer, a pint is 16 fluid ounces, and a pound is 16 ounces.

 

[gmax137]

1 pint (as in an imperial pint) is 20 fluid ounces.

But outside the subject of beer, a pint is 16 fluid ounces, and a pound is 16 ounces.

Confusing... so imperial pints are used only for beer?

 

[collinsmark]

Confusing... so imperial pints are used only for beer?

In my practical, present-day experience, beer is the only thing where 20 oz is sometimes considered a "pint."

And not all beers at that -- only certain beers; Guinness, Smithwicks, maybe Boddingtons are some of the 20 oz examples. If I were to order a pint of Budweiser, it's understood to be 16 oz.

 

[DrGreg]

In the UK, beer and milk is sold by the (imperial) pint (= 20 fl oz), but all other liquids are sold by the litre. We never had a 16 fl oz pint.

 

[collinsmark]

In the UK, beer and milk is sold by the (imperial) pint (= 20 fl oz), but all other liquids are sold by the litre. We never had a 16 fl oz pint.

Agreed; all this may depend on geography/location.

In the US, most draught beer (i.e., beer out of the tap) is served in these 16 fl. oz pint glasses that look like this:

But there are exceptions, as previous noted, that are served in 20 fl. oz "imperial pint" glasses such as this pint of Guinness:

 

[gmax137]

I wish the beers here in the US were 20 oz lol. Often the so called "pints" are closer to 12 oz. The glass is 16 ounces to the rim; they're typically served as shown in @collinsmark 's photo, really only 12 oz of beer.

For outdoor keggers we use red solo cups but that's another thread.

 

[collinsmark]

I wish the beers here in the US were 20 oz lol. Often the so called "pints" are closer to 12 oz. The glass is 16 ounces to the rim; they're typically served as shown in @collinsmark 's photo, really only 12 oz of beer.

The only pubs/bars I frequent have two sets of glasses: the 20 fl. oz "imperial" pints for Guinness, Harp, Smithwicks, Bass, maybe Boddingtons, etc.; and the 16 fl. oz glasses for everything else (including Budweiser, Coors, Miller, any local microbrews, most anything else you can think of).

If a newbie bartender accidentally serves a Guinness in a 16 fl. oz glass it is generally considered a travesty and a crime against humanity. Riots may ensue.

 

[fresh_42]

You are talking funny.

Please read point number 12. And ignore number 10, except you are British.

 

[jack action]

Yeah, not really. More like 1.04 pounds per (US) gallon. I don't know where that "a pint's a pound, the world around" thing comes from. google, google... I think 16 imperial fluid ounces of water weigh 1 pound. But an imperial pint is 20 imp fl oz, which would weigh 1.25 pounds. Maybe one of you older Brits (I won't name names) can comment.

When the pressure is 1 atm, just like a liter of water has a mass of 1 kg at 4°C (more precisely 0.99997 kg), a US pint of water weighs 1 pound (59.8442 lbf/ft³) at 99.6 °C. (source)

 

[fresh_42]

When the pressure is 1 atm, just like a liter of water has a mass of 1 kg at 4°C (more precisely 0.99997 kg), a US pint of water weighs 1 pound (59.8442 lbf/ft³) at 99.6 °C. (source)

I'm relieved they figured this out with water and not beer.

 

[Astronuc]

https://news.yahoo.com/news/finance/video/space-janitor-astroscale-enjoys-stellar-065018394.html

Space janitor Astroscale "aims to develop an orbital gripper that can catch old satellites and other garbage, and then nudge them back towards Earth to burn up in the atmosphere." The see an opportunity in cleaning up the mess of "growing cloud of junk, made up of dead satellites and the like."

 

[Klystron]

https://www.physicsforums.com/threads/collection-of-lame-jokes.25301/post-6930480


Yeah, not really. More like 1.04 pounds per (US) gallon. I don't know where that "a pint's a pound, the world around" thing comes from. ...

Popular science fiction writer Robert A. Heinlein reiterated that expression while writing a series of novels aimed at teens. In "Have Spacesuit -- Will Travel", principle character named Clifford ("Kip") Russell uses "pint a pound, the world around"as a mnemonic. Given paucity of tools except for pint ration cans, Kip uses an empty pint can to estimate time required to fill an underground prison by blocking a water outflow, using a pint can and counting seconds to measure flow rate.

Kip calculates quite often, to fill the empty hours during long voyages and while imprisoned. Kip's dad, a retired mathematician, encourages Kip to study mathematics, also Latin and Spanish. These skills help Clifford when discussing the nature of reality with a 4C.E. Roman centurion in yet a different prison in another galaxy. This children's novel brought the word adiabatic to my attention while discussing spacesuit designs.

Heinlein novels still have a market in US.

 

[gmax137]

"Have Spacesuit -- Will Travel"

That's one of Heinlein's books I never read.

 

[Klystron]

That's one of Heinlein's books I never read.

Part of a series roughly twelve books including "Citizen of the Galaxy" and "Starship Trooper", the latter spawning a raft of films. An educated 1960s living space included a much thumbed copy of Heinlein's "Stranger in a Strange Land".

Heinlein was a guest commentator during televised Apollo 11 landing broadcasts due to popularity of his first novel "Rocketship Galileo" imagining a team of teen rocket enthusiasts led by a nuclear physicist as lunar pioneers, and successful screenplay "Destination Moon".

 

[fresh_42]

Does anybody remember Catweazle? The Germans made a movie (watching).

 

[DrGreg]

Does anybody remember Catweazle? The Germans made a movie (watching).

Certainly! A British children's TV show that I believe was also sold to other countries. Never saw the German film, though.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catweazle

 

[fresh_42]

Certainly! A British children's TV show that I believe was also sold to other countries. Never saw the German film, though.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catweazle

https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catweazle_(Film)
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt11286070/reference/

 

[WWGD]

How do they know?
That was the question asked by this lady when looking at a map of the Mall, the part that read " You are Here ".

 

[WWGD]

So this guy, his name is Joel, he emphasizes the last vowel, "El". Awkward moment when I asked him if he was one of the Superman-related characters.

 

[fresh_42]

So this guy, his name is Joel, he emphasizes the last vowel, "El". Awkward moment when I asked him if he was one of the Superman-related characters.

That took a moment.

 

[fresh_42]

Bad language and offensive words are hard to translate. Their severity gets lost or added, depending on the case. So can someone describe to me how severe it is if someone calls someone else a **** (a four-letter word beginning with a "j")? Is it jovial, an insult in any case, an everyday word, how severe is it?

 

[WWGD]

Bad language and offensive words are hard to translate. Their severity gets lost or added, depending on the case. So can someone describe to me how severe it is if someone calls someone else a **** (a four-letter word beginning with a "j")? Is it jovial, an insult in any case, an everyday word, how severe is it?

I'd place it at around 4 out of 10 for severity. @fresh_42 : You could say it safely within 90%+ of the population.

 

[Tom.G]

I'd place it at around 4 out of 10 for severity. @fresh_42 : You could say it safely within 90%+ of the population.

Here in the USA, calling someone a 'Jerk' generally implies that the accused lacks in both rational thinking and knowledge.

The most likely reactions are: raised voices, the accused leaves the situation and avoids you in the future, or somewhat strenuous physical contact occurs.

The accusation is generally serious enough that even after apoligizing, the two of you are not likely to have a serious conversation.

A somewhat 'softer' wording would be "Don't act like a jerk." That, at least, doesn't directly impugn their personality.

Accusing someone of actually being a Jerk, I would rate a 6 or 7 out of 10 for severity.

That's my take anyhow.

[edit] follow-up post at: https://www.physicsforums.com/posts/7095320 [/edit]

Cheers,
Tom

 

[Mayhem]

Starting to grow fond of Excel. It feels incredinly productive to see a spreadsheet grow with your data.

What have I become?

 

[gmax137]

Starting to grow fond of Excel. It feels incredinly productive to see a spreadsheet grow with your data.

What have I become?

I didn't like Excel when I first started using it (being a LOTUS123 man myself). But after awhile, yes, yes, it is an amazing tool.

I once checked a co-workers analysis results. He spent a couple weeks writing a PERL script to do the calculations; I spent two days writing an Excel sheet that gave identical results. He was shocked.

 

[fresh_42]

I didn't like Excel when I first started using it (being a LOTUS123 man myself). But after awhile, yes, yes, it is an amazing tool.

I once checked a co-workers analysis results. He spent a couple weeks writing a PERL script to do the calculations; I spent two days writing an Excel sheet that gave identical results. He was shocked.

I always felt like it takes two days to get the result, but two weeks to make it fancy (diagrams of various types, scroll-down menus, and other filters, coloring, sizing, and other formatting, hiding columns and rows, and things like that). Probably a matter of training.

 

[Astronuc]

'Spy mania': Why is Russia accusing its own physicists of treason?
https://www.yahoo.com/news/spy-mania-why-russia-accusing-234523979.html

Scientists are still expected to publish internationally and collaborate with foreign colleagues, "meanwhile, the FSB thinks contact with foreign scientists and writing for foreign journals is a betrayal of the Motherland", they say.

The ITAM scientists feel the same. "We just don't understand how to continue doing our job," their open letter said.

"What we are rewarded for today… tomorrow becomes the reason for criminal prosecution."

They warn that scientists are afraid to engage in some areas of research, while talented young employees are leaving science.

 

[fresh_42]

'Spy mania': Why is Russia accusing its own physicists of treason?
https://www.yahoo.com/news/spy-mania-why-russia-accusing-234523979.html

We should not point our fingers at Russia! This is too cheap these days. I do not want to excuse it, but maybe we (the west) have our own problems which we should deal with first:

Following the severe earthquake in Abruzzo, a court sentenced seven seismologists to years in prison.

https://www.fr.de/panorama/experten-urteil-ueberrascht-11358728.html

Not sure whether they finally had to go to prison, but the court rule existed.

So, yes, it is ridiculous to read that about the FSB. And about Italy.

 

[Borg]

Not sure whether they finally had to go to prison, but the court rule existed.

Mostly thrown out - https://www.science.org/content/art...fficial-cleared-manslaughter-earthquake-trial

That hugely controversial trial resulted in convictions and 6-year jail sentences for all seven scientists, but six of those convictions were overturned on appeal and then definitively quashed by Italy's supreme court last November. Only De Bernardinis had his conviction confirmed, albeit with a lesser 2-year sentence, which will remain suspended.

 

[fresh_42]

Mostly thrown out - https://www.science.org/content/art...fficial-cleared-manslaughter-earthquake-trial

Yes, but the sentiment is similar: politics clashes with science. I do not want to justify Russian politics, au contraire, however, considering the war crimes Russia commits day by day, this seems to be a minor issue to me. It is not very surprising that every attempt to justify what cannot be justified, or to pretend normality where there isn't, results in logical contradictions. We know since Galileo that authorities and science don't match. An autocracy is an autocracy, clerical or secular.

 

[Borg]

I was only answering the question that I quoted. Not going to get into the politics here.