Today I Learned

[Ibix]

Maybe I'm a little dense but can't you just disable the screensaver? Or at least increase the time before it locks?

Let me guess: you don't work for a large corporation?

 

[sbrothy]

Let me guess: you don't work for a large corporation?

I used to but apparently had a little more freedom... so it goes.

 

[Borg]

Corporate sysadmins are pretty heavy-handed on the system settings these days. Even though I have (mostly) full admin rights, the corporate scripts check various items and overwrite things that I've changed whenever I get on their network. I then have to spend time undoing their handywork. I used to run a registry script to change their 20 minute screen timeout to 90 minutes but they eventually found a setting that I couldn't find in the registry. That's when I came up with the mouse mover.

Another fun game that they've introduced is wiping out my new tab page in my Chrome browser. My new tab page looks something like this:

Then, about a month ago, they introduced a bunch of registry settings that removed all of my shortcuts and blanked out the entire page. So now when that happens, I have to go into the registry and delete all of their scripted keys in order to get the page back. For some reason, they don't do this to their Edge browser. Probably because it automatically wipes out all of my settings whenever it's updated. It's a constant war with these people.

On the bright side, most of what I've learned about the Windows Registry has been from battling the corporate sysadmins.

 

[Rive]

20 minute screen timeout

You know, I'm envious. We got something like 3-4 minute

 

[pinball1970]

You know, I'm envious. We got something like 3-4 minute

Same. I have never tried to change the settings though. Once I get in I tend to only stop for coffee!
I may have a look when I am in Monday.

 

[berkeman]

I've always wondered why the pitch of the sound from the inlets of jet engines seems to change with angle. It's not a Doppler effect that I was hearing, since only the angle of the planes were changing and not their speed relative to me.

So I thought about posting the question in the Aero forum today, but being a good PF'er, I went to Google first. The first hit on the list is a great PDF from NASA about exactly this effect! It turns out that both diffraction and refraction affect the sound coming from the engine inlet based on the angle, and they show computational plots of exactly what I have been hearing. TIL!

https://ntrs.nasa.gov/api/citations/20130000433/downloads/20130000433.pdf

 

[Oldman too]

disable the screensaver?

Works for me.

 

[mfb]

My work laptop doesn't even know there is an IT department - got it directly from the manufacturer - but it's academia, we are getting paid for producing results, not for how, when and with which system settings we do that.

 

[Office_Shredder]

For some reason, they don't do this to their Edge browser. Probably because it automatically wipes out all of my settings whenever it's updated.

Probably because they can't conceive of anyone actually using Edge.

 

[mfb]

It's a neglected Edge case.

 

[sbrothy]

Corporate sysadmins are pretty heavy-handed on the system settings these days. Even though I have (mostly) full admin rights, the corporate scripts check various items and overwrite things that I've changed whenever I get on their network. I then have to spend time undoing their handywork. I used to run a registry script to change their 20 minute screen timeout to 90 minutes but they eventually found a setting that I couldn't find in the registry. That's when I came up with the mouse mover.

Another fun game that they've introduced is wiping out my new tab page in my Chrome browser. My new tab page looks something like this:
View attachment 304980
Then, about a month ago, they introduced a bunch of registry settings that removed all of my shortcuts and blanked out the entire page. So now when that happens, I have to go into the registry and delete all of their scripted keys in order to get the page back. For some reason, they don't do this to their Edge browser. Probably because it automatically wipes out all of my settings whenever it's updated. It's a constant war with these people.

On the bright side, most of what I've learned about the Windows Registry has been from battling the corporate sysadmins.

If you really want to go under the radar I recommend Lynx from any *NIX shell.

I'd be surprised if they (or indeed you) would bother with that. One would have to be a little desperate. :)

 

[jtbell]

Today I learned that George Jetson might have been born today.

 

[Hornbein]

The worst impediment to a lunar base is the horrible dust.

 

[Hornbein]

In March 2018, a musician won a claim for damages against the British Royal Opera House for acoustic shock caused by excessive noise during orchestral rehearsals.[10]

On 1 September 2012, Mr Goldscheider was seated directly in front of the brass section of the orchestra for a rehearsal of Wagner's thunderous opera Die Walkure in the famous orchestra pit at the Royal Opera House.

During that rehearsal, the noise levels exceeded 130 decibels, roughly equivalent to that of a jet engine. His hearing was irreversibly damaged.

https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-43571144

 

[Hornbein]

That worm summoning in Dune actually works.

 

[pinball1970]

In March 2018, a musician won a claim for damages against the British Royal Opera House for acoustic shock caused by excessive noise during orchestral rehearsals.[10]

On 1 September 2012, Mr Goldscheider was seated directly in front of the brass section of the orchestra for a rehearsal of Wagner's thunderous opera Die Walkure in the famous orchestra pit at the Royal Opera House.

During that rehearsal, the noise levels exceeded 130 decibels, roughly equivalent to that of a jet engine. His hearing was irreversibly damaged.

https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-43571144

Ear defenders? He can read music and follow the conductor so would just need something to take the edge off.

 

[Jonathan Scott]

Ear defenders? He can read music and follow the conductor so would just need something to take the edge off.

This is no joking matter; it's not just deafness. Viola players are particularly in the firing line, often being placed close in front of the brass section, and protecting their hearing is something which orchestras are now much more careful about since that case.

I play in a couple of orchestras (and I'm chairman of the society which runs them) and a few years ago I had temporary hearing problems in one ear, probably triggered by accidentally slapping a wet facecloth against it in a way which created a seal and then suction.

Firstly, I heard musical notes at the wrong pitch in that ear, making it impossible to play music, but the worst thing was that even normal sound levels felt deafening, and moderately loud noise was completely intolerable, so I had to put in an earplug to cope at all. Scarily, it didn't change at all for a day or two after it started, but then it began to improve and after a few days, I was able to play again to some extent by using an earplug in the affected ear, and it cleared up in a few more days.

[Chris Goldscheider's son Ben is an outstanding horn player, winner of the BBC Young Musician 2016 Brass Category Final and international soloist. He's been a past soloist with one of my orchestras and is scheduled to perform with the other one next year.]

 

[pinball1970]

This is no joking matter; it's not just deafness. Viola players are particularly in the firing line, often being placed close in front of the brass section, and protecting their hearing is something which orchestras are now much more careful about since that case.

I play in a couple of orchestras (and I'm chairman of the society which runs them) and a few years ago I had temporary hearing problems in one ear, probably triggered by accidentally slapping a wet facecloth against it in a way which created a seal and then suction.

Firstly, I heard musical notes at the wrong pitch in that ear, making it impossible to play music, but the worst thing was that even normal sound levels felt deafening, and moderately loud noise was completely intolerable, so I had to put in an earplug to cope at all. Scarily, it didn't change at all for a day or two after it started, but then it began to improve and after a few days, I was able to play again to some extent by using an earplug in the affected ear, and it cleared up in a few more days.

[Chris Goldscheider's son Ben is an outstanding horn player, winner of the BBC Young Musician 2016 Brass Category Final and international soloist. He's been a past soloist with one of my orchestras and is scheduled to perform with the other one next year.]

I was not joking.
I play drums in a rock band. Different music same issue.
I have to wear protection to take the top end off and take the overall volume down.
Rehearsal not too bad but venues have varying levels of kit and it is rare you are in an ideal situation.
I get a wedge where ever it happens to be and the last one was one metre from my left ear and I could not angle it round much.

Ear defenders muffle the sound and you need to hear an intro to come in spot on. Distortion on the guitar does not help.
Turn the wedge off and I am getting the PA only which is facing towards the crowd not me so the sound bounces around before it hits me.
No ear defenders and I have tinnitus for three days.
Ear piece to the desk is an option, if I can trust the engineer.
That's hit and miss too.

 

[Jonathan Scott]

No ear defenders and I have tinnitus for three days.

OK, so you are aware of the problems, but tinnitus or even temporary deafness, even if it can be quite frustrating, hardly compares with diplacusis and hyperacusis. Mine was fortunately temporary, but there was no way I could be involved in any form of music for the first few days.

 

[sbrothy]

OK, so you are aware of the problems, but tinnitus or even temporary deafness, even if it can be quite frustrating, hardly compares with diplacusis and hyperacusis. Mine was fortunately temporary, but there was no way I could be involved in any form of music for the first few days.

I trained guitar quite aggressively in my "early adulthood" but was thankfully spared tendinitis. Perhaps not the worst of ailments (spoken by someone who've never suffered it), some of my friends had to stop entirely because of it.

EDIT: Incidentally. :)

EDIT2:

Apropos nothing and in a completely avoidable and stuipid incident I then broke my wrist, effectively putting a stop to it anyway. I recently took up the guitar again though. :)

 

[pinball1970]

OK, so you are aware of the problems, but tinnitus or even temporary deafness, even if it can be quite frustrating, hardly compares with diplacusis and hyperacusis. Mine was fortunately temporary, but there was no way I could be involved in any form of music for the first few days.

Mine was not temporary. I have lost some top end in the left. Tinnitus was very severe but by day 4 was Ok but still significant. Quiet time it is loud and not just one note, there is timbre there like wind.
Those conditions you cited (I looked them up) sound horrendous.

What would your solution be? It can only be protection then adjusting to the loss of clarity. It takes to time to get used to it.

 

[Hornbein]

John Coltrane had a first wife, Naima.

About the breakup, Naima said in J. C. Thomas's Chasin' the Trane: "I could feel it was going to happen sooner or later, so I wasn't really surprised when John moved out of the house in the summer of 1963. He didn't offer any explanation. He just told me there were things he had to do, and he left only with his clothes and his horns. He stayed in a hotel sometimes, other times with his mother in Philadelphia. All he said was, 'Naima, I'm going to make a change.'
---
He said the same thing when he decided to change bass players.

 

[fresh_42]

TIL that Wacken has its own stamp.

 

[BillTre]

It came from outer space:

 

[pinball1970]

It came from outer space:

View attachment 305488

That could have injured someone.

 

[berkeman]

That could have injured someone.

Sheep-kebob?

 

[strangerep]

That could have injured someone.

Yes -- a drunken outback redneck looking for a sheep [] could now stumble into it.

 

[strangerep]

TIL... about Precambrian rabbits. (Thanks @pinball1970 !)

 

[Astronuc]

LNIL (last night I learned) - about the story of Geronimo, the Apache peoples and the subtribes or groups: Chiricahua, Jicarilla, Lipan, Mescalero, Mimbreño, Ndendahe (Bedonkohe or Mogollon and Nednhi or Carrizaleño and Janero), Salinero, Plains (Kataka or Semat or "Kiowa-Apache") and Western Apache (Aravaipa, Pinaleño, Coyotero, Tonto).

I listened to the story last night.
https://librivox.org/story-of-geronimo-by-jim-kjelgaard/

Mangas Coloradas or Mangus-Colorado is a name one will hear about.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mangas_Coloradas

Site based in Netherlands
http://www.let.rug.nl/usa/biographies/geronimo/subdivisions-of-the-apache-tribe.phpAfter that book finished, I listened to Tony Robinson talk about Emperor Nero and his brief time as emperor of Rome.

Finally, I dozed of to some historical dicussion of Cumbria and Urien Rheged.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Urien
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rheged
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Cumbria#Rheged

https://www.englishmonarchs.co.uk/celts_10.html

 

[BillTre]

 

[Tom.G]

OK, I'll bite... Where the heck IS IT?

 

[BillTre]

OK, I'll bite... Where the heck IS IT?

Combined wheel chair access with stairs.
Space saver.

 

[Tom.G]

Agreed... but I asked WHERE.

 

[hmmm27]

Agreed... but I asked WHERE.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/robson-square-accessibility-1.5255477

 

[pinball1970]

Agreed... but I asked WHERE.

Reminded me of a bar in Manchester ,If this is wheel chair access I would not fancy it.
It’s a cool bar, however looking at the images it looks a bit steep.
I went July last year when we came out of lock down and that was the first thing that hit me.