Random Thoughts 7

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The discussion in the "Random Thoughts 7" thread begins with a user expressing a desire to have the first civilian post. Participants reminisce about a missing member, Evo, and share their hopes for her well-being. The conversation shifts to humorous musings about chatbots and the origins of the term "robot," followed by reflections on pop culture, including reactions to Matthew Perry's passing. There are also light-hearted anecdotes about close encounters with deer while driving and observations on the challenges of transitioning from undergraduate to graduate studies. Overall, the thread captures a mix of nostalgia, humor, and personal experiences.
  • #631
Railroad safety!

Railroads for the most part are private property, and walking on the right of way or across the tracks in any location other than a public grade crossing is trespassing. In most cases, railroads have been in place for more than 100 years, and in some cases more than 160 years or more.

Being on the tracks around freight cars, or trying to cross between or under freight cars is very dangerous.

Anyone who lives near a railroad track should know and be aware of the potential danger.

Remote operation of locomotives and trains is a separate issue that railroads and regulators must address.

https://news.yahoo.com/news/100-ton-locomotive-no-one-120614174.html
(Contains some gruesome descriptions of injuries and fatalities).
 
Physics news on Phys.org
  • #632
Why does PF automatically log me out when I access through my phone?
 
  • #633
WWGD said:
Why does PF automatically log me out when I access through my phone?
You have to check "Stay logged in" when signing in. Otherwise, you get logged out automatically when the browser is closed.

PF-login.png
 
  • #634
jack action said:
You have to check "Stay logged in" when signing in. Otherwise, you get logged out automatically when the browser is closed.

Yes, thanks, thing is the second I enter the first w in my handle, I'm logged in and sent to a page such as this one. Let me see how I can get back into the login page after that.
 
  • #635
WWGD said:
Yes, thanks, thing is the second I enter the first w in my handle, I'm logged in and sent to a page such as this one. Let me see how I can get back into the login page after that.
Tick the box first?
 
  • #636
Ibix said:
Tick the box first?
Yes, my bad, I wasn't seeing it. Nor thinking :(. My bad, thanks all.
 
  • #637
How much does one liter of water weigh? 9.81 N (Admit it: you were thinking 1 kg!)
But one US pint of water weighs one pound!
 
  • #638
jack action said:
How much does one liter of water weigh? 9.81 N (Admit it: you were thinking 1 kg!)
But one US pint of water weighs one pound!
For what it's worth, when metrication was being introduced in the UK, many decades ago, we were told

A litre of water's​
A pint and three quarters​

and

Two and a quarter pounds of jam​
Weigh about a kilogram​
 
  • #639
Calling yourself non-binary categorizes everyone into binary or non-binary, creating a binary system that makes you binary again.
 
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  • #640
jack action said:
Calling yourself non-binary categorizes everyone into binary or non-binary, creating a binary system that makes you binary again.
I personally go by the pronouns Eggman/Walrus/Koo Koo Kachoo.
 
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  • #643
WWGD said:
I always wondered if a nationwide system of canals to transport water would be feasible.
More likely pipes, since there are a lot of hills and some mountain chains to cross. Canals only work with level grade, or downhill, one-way.

Otherwise, tank cars, which is how some crude oil is moved, are feasible.

I've wondered about those areas that flood frequently, e.g., those areas in the Midwest, that have been occasionally inundated, e.g., along the Platter River, or the Missouri and Mississippi watersheds. If they could push water westward to western Colorado, and the Colorado River basin.
 
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  • #644
I've wondered about that too. Excess water in one area, aridity in another. Transfer it from the areas that flood all the time. Divert it.
Canals, pipes, tunnels, even pumping stations for elevation changes, whatever is needed. They do all that in California where needed.
If they can pump oil in pipes everywhere, they can surely pump water.
 
  • #645
Astronuc said:
I've wondered about those areas that flood frequently, e.g., those areas in the Midwest, that have been occasionally inundated, e.g., along the Platter River, or the Missouri and Mississippi watersheds. If they could push water westward to western Colorado, and the Colorado River basin.
Flood waters would have to be decontaminated to be potable.
Floods can pick-up industrial wastes and (literally) crap.
Floods would also be an intermittent supply, so not too dependable and probably not from a dependable site.

The "aqueduct" in California goes through open canals as well as pumping stations and pipes over mountains. By the time it gets to LA it is very hard from the chemicals it picks up in the cement aqueduct.
 
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  • #646
Unlike that sweet drinking water going down a natural river channel, that LA gets, by draining pretty completely the Owens Valley supply, on the east side of the Sierra Nevada. Didn't know that about the cement canals and hard water.

Lots of problems, for sure, but I think the Army Corps of Engineers could probably do the job if that was their mission. Maybe water diverted closer to its source would be cleaner water too.
 
  • #647
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  • #648
Ouch! ChatGpt just told me ## 2\pi -\pi ## is Rational, as part of a construction *. Then, after I pointed it out, it " corrected it " by telling me ## 2\sqrt 2 -\sqrt 2 ## is Rational.

* Vitali set on ##\mathbb R -\mathbb Q ## in case anyone is interested.
 
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  • #649
WWGD said:
Ouch! ChatGpt just told me ## 2\pi -\pi ## is Rational, as part of a construction *. Then, after I pointed it out, it " corrected it " by telling me ## 2\sqrt 2 -\sqrt 2 ## is Rational.

* Vitali set on ##\mathbb R -\mathbb Q ## in case anyone is interested.

Almost 100 years later, and lesson still not learned!

 
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  • #650
fresh_42 said:
Almost 100 years later, and lesson still not learned!


We're still in our cage of Freedom, I guess Herr Lang would say.
 
  • #651
Somehow I received an email notifying me of Clint Eastwood's birthday (94) . Sure, I'll tell Jeeves to drop me by his mansion promply at 8 p.m. But not after 10. I must know my limitations.
 
  • #652
Do you feel lucky?
 
  • #653
Just took an absolutely abysmal fluids exam. Looking forward to starting as a McDonalds cashier come summer time.
 
  • #654
Borg said:
Do you feel lucky?
Well, do you, punk?
 
  • #655
Turing award given based on proof that P=BPP.
P=NP had been solved by a brilliant guy who concluded the two were equal for N=1 or P=0.
 
  • #656
ergospherical said:
Just took an absolutely abysmal fluids exam. Looking forward to starting as a McDonalds cashier come summer time.
British term for a urine test?
 
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  • #657
WWGD said:
British term for a urine test?
Might have scored higher in one of those...
 
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  • #658
" Half of me wants to be an Engineer, half a Physicist and the last half a Mathematician."

Well, we know which one you should discard.
 
  • #659
Hope Tyson doesn't get his lights punched out by Jake Paul.
 
  • #660
Lightening going backwards (up) from a plane's wings. Is that St. Elmo's fire?

 
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