Random Thoughts Part 4 - Split Thread

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The discussion revolves around a variety of topics, beginning with the reopening of a thread on the Physics Forums. Participants express relief at the continuation of the conversation and share light-hearted banter about past threads. There are inquiries about quoting from previous threads and discussions about job opportunities for friends. The conversation shifts to humorous takes on mathematics, particularly the concept of "Killing vector fields," which one participant humorously critiques as dangerous. Participants also share personal anecdotes, including experiences with power outages and thoughts on teaching at university. The tone remains casual and playful, with discussions about the challenges of winter, the joys of friendship, and even a few jokes about life experiences. The thread captures a blend of humor, personal stories, and light philosophical musings, all while maintaining a sense of community among the forum members.
  • #3,241
WWGD said:
But it seems it has help up during the last 50 years:

Might it be as simple as "Lucky 7 " ?
Boeing engineers were a fun bunch - they said of the B17
"If she looks good she'll fly good"

Belle.jpg


great movie, Memphis Belle.

old jim
 
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  • #3,242
Was waiting for the bus. According to the allegedly live screen, there's one due in 2 minutes. I wait. It vanishes from the screen. No bus appears. Grrr. But there's another one in 3 minutes more. I wait. It vanishes from the screen. No bus appears. Hmph. "Fool me once..." etc. I dig my phone out of my pocket and fire up the bus company's app. According to the allegedly live map there's a bus right around the corner. I wait. It should be in sight, but no bus. It should be about a hundred yards away - oh wait. There is no longer a bus there according to the map. In other news, we have always been at war with Eastasia. Grr. Wait! There's another bus coming according to the map. "Fool me once" etc, but this one caught my eye because I didn't know there was a bus route there. For that matter, I'm pretty certain there aren't any roads crossing the train tracks at a shallow angle and into the waste ground beyond. Nor is there a bridge across the (navigable) river that the bus is, apparently, happily winging its way across.

It would be a really nice app, too. A good example of how you can use technology to make life easier. But GIGO, guys. GIGO.
 
  • #3,243
jim hardy said:
great movie, Memphis Belle.
Many years ago I accidentally discovered they were re-running the old TV show, 12 O'Clock High at some ungodly hour of the morning before the sun was up, and I became addicted and had to get up every morning to watch it. The fact it was dark and cold outside in my real world made the show more vivid, since their missions always left before dawn. I think quite stupidly, I fell in love with the B-17.
 
  • #3,244
zoobyshoe said:
I fell in love with the B-17.

It's hard not to.

The takeoff scene is spectacular on wide screen where the entire wingspan is captured


one needs in his library both Memphis Belle movies - the 1990 Matthew Modine and the 1944 Jose Ferrer versions.

of course i may be suffering from old man's nostalgia - i grew up within earshot of Miami Airport before airliners had jet engines. So the noise of those big radials was imprinted very early.

old jim
 
  • #3,245
jim hardy said:
It's hard not to.
I know. I just feel it's not proper to be fond of an engine of destruction, even though that's not the reason I like them.
 
  • #3,246
zoobyshoe said:
I know. I just feel it's not proper to be fond of an engine of destruction, even though that's not the reason I like them.
I once met an Englishman who answered on my remark he just hasn't been pc: "Oh! Don't worry, we don't have that here. It's an American invention!" :smile:
 
  • #3,247
zoobyshoe said:
I just feel it's not proper to be fond of an engine of destruction,

That brings up a thought

given the popularity of raptors in heraldry,

why not?

It's human to admire strength, power and beauty .
 
  • #3,248
jim hardy said:
That brings up a thought

given the popularity of raptors in heraldry,

why not?

It's human to admire strength, power and beauty .
I guess it's a matter of being circumspect, not wanting to risk blurting out, "Oh, the B-17 was such a cool plane!," and have someone post, "Hey! My grandparents were killed in the bombing of Dresden!", type of thing.
 
  • #3,249
Why is the report button being displayed so prominently? Feels like PF wants me to report every post I see.
 
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  • #3,250
HomogenousCow said:
Why is the report button being displayed so prominently? Feels like PF wants me to report every post I see.
Yeah, I noticed that. It seems suddenly very prominent and insistent.
 
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  • #3,251
Just noticed now there is a red, close button at the upper right of the profile panel when you click on someone's username. Why should it be there when it's much quicker to click on anywhere outside the panel to close it?
 
  • #3,252
zoobyshoe said:
Yeah, I noticed that. It seems suddenly very prominent and insistent.

Someone warn ram2048 (or is it ram3072 now?)

On an unrelated note, I hate it when people say stuff like "maths and logic don't apply to everything". The argument is used to cheaply counter some quantitative claim about a non-STEM or finance issue. Just thinking about this makes me a little angry. I feel like people who aren't very good at maths tend to look at it as some esoteric art with no connection to "human" or "normal" issues.
 
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  • #3,253
Got a rash in my arm, seems like an allergic reaction. I don't remember ever having had one.
 
  • #3,254
HomogenousCow said:
Someone warn ram2048 (or is it ram3072 now?)

On an unrelated note, I hate it when people say stuff like "maths and logic don't apply to everything". The argument is used to cheaply counter some quantitative claim about a non-STEM or finance issue. Just thinking about this makes me a little angry. I feel like people who aren't very good at maths tend to look at it as some esoteric art with no connection to "human" or "normal" issues.

I agree overall. Some in the humanities are upset at the tremendous success of science. And now, with the age of Big Data and analytics, I guess even more so. So maybe if you meet one of these people, you can tell them the old joke: What's the difference between a History major and a large pizza? The large pizza can feed a family of four. Not too funny, but will surely shake them a bit. You can of course sub in different Humanities majors.

Maybe I will report my own comment, I am temped by the button below.
 
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  • #3,255
Change is good. Buttons are good. All is well at PF. :oldbiggrin:
 
  • #3,256
blue_leaf77 said:
Just noticed now there is a red, close button at the upper right of the profile panel when you click on someone's username. Why should it be there when it's much quicker to click on anywhere outside the panel to close it?
I guess it only is due to an imminent endeavor for theoretical completeness: occupational disease.
 
  • #3,257
Interesting: It seems like an obstacle to learning is that our minds are wired , for survival, to detect
differences, and not sameness. So it would seem like making it a point to find distinctions in the
material would help in this sense.
 
  • #3,258
WWGD said:
Interesting: It seems like an obstacle to learning is that our minds are wired , for survival, to detect
differences, and not sameness. So it would seem like making it a point to find distinctions in the
material would help in this sense.
Same difference, dude.
 
  • #3,259
zoobyshoe said:
Same difference, dude.
I disagree: Different sameness is more like it. I guess we can find some Buddhist monks to duke it out and decide which one is right.
 
  • #3,260
WWGD said:
I disagree: Different sameness is more like it. I guess we can find some Buddhist monks to duke it out and decide which one is right.
I think you might be right.
 
  • #3,261
zoobyshoe said:
I think you might be right.
But we may have to wait until they can describe the sound of one hand clapping, I heard there still on that one.
 
  • #3,262
WWGD said:
But we may have to wait until they can describe the sound of one hand clapping, I heard there still on that one.
I guess there's still no difference between the sound of "there" and "they're," though.
 
  • #3,263
zoobyshoe said:
I guess there's still no difference between the sound of "there" and "they're," though.

Yes, Buddhist monks, that's what there about. At least that's what someone said they're.
 
  • #3,264
zoobyshoe said:
I guess there's still no difference between the sound of "there" and "they're," though.
... and 'their' as well.
Then again there is 'wind'(air) and 'wind'(eg, a clock), which are pronounced differently
 
  • #3,265
WWGD said:
Yes, Buddhist monks, that's what there about. At least that's what someone said they're.
I think I might report this.
 
  • #3,267
WWGD said:
But we may have to wait until they can describe the sound of one hand clapping, I heard there still on that one.
It sounds like the wing beats of a pig on take off, so I read.
 
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  • #3,269
somewebsiteIfound said:
The transistor comes in many forms but its most striking or distinguishing characteristic is its having three leads (or terminals) unlike the resistor, capacitor, or diode. It is sometimes regarded as a combination of two diodes joined together on either their positive or negative terminals, thereby, resulting into a component with three terminals.

Does this mean if you have two diodes you can make a transistor out of them?
 

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