What is the newest installment of 'Random Thoughts' on Physics Forums?

[Posty McPostface]

Perhaps, I'm ignorant; but, I see the biggest obstacle in the US education system in regards to the filtering problem primarily economically.

If people knew what they wanted and knew that they would do well in it in the future financially and in some sense edifyingly, then there wouldn't be the issue of commitment to a major or dropout rates.

The military does this with psychometric ASVAB tests and personality testing.

And I starting to sound like a closet fascist? Sorry.

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

 

[BillTre]

If people knew what they wanted and knew that they would do well in it in the future financially and in some sense edifyingly, then there wouldn't be the issue of commitment to a major or dropout rates.

On my opinion, it is not uncommon to find a mis-match between people's low expectations about what is needed to achieve success and the reality of higher expectations that they may not want to commit to.
Goals may then change.
College is a place where this can happen.

These are events that can change your life plans, including college.

 

[WWGD]

On my opinion, it is not uncommon to find a mis-match between people's low expectations about what is needed to achieve success and the reality of higher expectations that they may not want to commit to.
Goals may then change.
College is a place where this can happen.

These are events that can change your life plans, including college.

I think there is an additional issue of what I call the " Glamor Trap". People who fail because they only want to do the fun part of the job and not the grunt work necessary. Tho maybe this is exactly what you are referring to.

 

[WWGD]

Still, Fresh_Meister, I do agree college should be a place open to as many as possible so they can experiment in an environment that is
reasonably-forgiving before going into the real world which will not always be as forgiving and lenient.

 

[Posty McPostface]

On my opinion, it is not uncommon to find a mis-match between people's low expectations about what is needed to achieve success and the reality of higher expectations that they may not want to commit to.

I'm not quite sure the reasoning behind this. Could you possibly expand on that?

Thank-you.

 

[StoneTemplePython]

On education:

1.)
With respect to college costs and the US and Europe, it's worth reminding people that the Brits do pay for university. A nice overview:
https://www.economist.com/blogs/graphicdetail/2017/03/daily-chart

(One nit: amusingly, Brits and sometimes The Economist, don't seem to consider themselves European, e.g. I'll see them refer to those 'Europeans' meaning continental Europe.)

2.)
There is some shockingly good free stuff available on the Internet, in particular from MIT and Stanford.

This reminds me that MIT has a new course offering on Edx on Quantum Algorithms / Computing that starts next week. One of the two profs is Peter Shor, of Shor's Algorithm fame.

https://www.edx.org/course/quantum-information-science-i

I am probably going to do it, but you have to put in a lot of work for these courses from MITx.

 

[BillTre]

I'm not quite sure the reasoning behind this. Could you possibly expand on that?

Thank-you.

Yes. WRT:

If people knew what they wanted and knew that they would do well in it in the future financially and in some sense edifyingly, then there wouldn't be the issue of commitment to a major or dropout rates.

I think there are more reasons than just not knowing what they want to do or not knowing where they might expect economic success for people to drop out of college. There can be other reasons like:

a mis-match between people's low expectations about what is needed to achieve success and the reality of higher expectations that they may not want to commit to.

or

the " Glamor Trap". People who fail because they only want to do the fun part of the job and not the grunt work necessary.

 

[Posty McPostface]

I think there are more reasons than just not knowing what they want to do or not knowing where they might expect economic success for people to drop out of college.

Yes, there are a multitude of factors, undoubtedly; but, if an individual knew what they wanted (perhaps the most important factor), then they will work and strive towards that goal despite adversity. I would say that the ability to stick to a goal despite adversity is the best predictor of a students educational prospects.

 

[Psinter]

At the penthouse of this guy I notice that the tableware is heavy and it felt of really good quality to the touch. It was also very shiny. Suddenly, one of the nice housemaids told me that they were made of silver. I noticed he also had an induction stove top surrounded by marble. That was the first time I heard about induction stoves. Since then, I've wanted to get shiny spoons and forks made of silver, and an induction stove as well. But I wonder how much tableware made of silver costs.

It's interesting to watch how these people live. One thing I also noticed was the water coming out of the sink. It was completely silent. I've always hated how the water makes sounds when coming out of my sink. It makes you wonder how they make the water flow with such little resistance that the plumbing/valves makes no detectable sound by the person washing their hands. The water flowed like oil in the sense of making no sound.

I saw the induction stove in action and oh do I tell you it was powerful. I want one.

 

[WWGD]

On education:

1.) (One nit: amusingly, Brits and sometimes The Economist, don't seem to consider themselves European, e.g. I'll see them refer to those 'Europeans' meaning continental Europe.).

I have wondered if the Chunnel ( Channel Tunnel) technically makes them Continentals. Isn't the road below a piece of land that connects Continental Europe (France) to the Island? Therefore , they are not surrounded by water ?

 

[WWGD]

Interesting rule of thumb: In exams ( using multiple choice) for government positions, the longest answer is usually the correct one.

 

[Psinter]

Interesting rule of thumb: In exams ( using multiple choice) for government positions, the longest answer is usually the correct one.

This is a great question. Awesome question to be precise. I want you to know that I appreciate your question. Many questions have been made regarding this subject. Your concern is important to me. In 1850, the then president of this country assessed a question similar to this one. He sought the advice of the by then Super Mega Prime Interior Minister of the Complex People's Legislature to answer such an important question that had sharp similarity to this question. It is important to note that the by then Super Mega Prime Interior Minister did many good deeds for society. Deeds similar to the progressive deeds of the current Scriveners of our Fire Nation's 5th Circuit Legislature. All the while protecting our citizens from the Water, Earth, and Air Nations' hostile treatment...

 

[Psinter]

That moment when you typo and instead of typing girl you type grill.

His grillfriend .

 

[Psinter]

Did you guys also play to see who could say the highest number when you were kids?

We would play that from time to time and there was always this older player who knew more than the others and managed to baffle everyone else. For instance, in 1st grade we began like 1, 2, 3... 100... 1000... and then this player at 6th grade would say: Infinite! and we would be like: Whoa! Infinite must be like... super big! And some other kid would say: Not fair! But then would come another one and say: Infinite plus one! And everyone's mind would hopelessly blow.

Silly games.

 

[fresh_42]

Did you guys also play to see who could say the highest number when you were kids?

We would play that from time to time and there was always this older player who knew more than the others and managed to baffle everyone else. For instance, in 1st grade we began like 1, 2, 3... 100... 1000... and then this player at 6th grade would say: Infinite! and we would be like: Whoa! Infinite must be like... super big! And some other kid would say: Not fair! But then would come another one and say: Infinite plus one! And everyone's mind would hopelessly blow.

Silly games.

Ben Gurion!

 

[Borg]

If there was a coding hall of shame, the code that I've been trying to debug and document for the last week would have a prominent place of dishonor. Please KMN.

 

[WWGD]

Did you guys also play to see who could say the highest number when you were kids?

We would play that from time to time and there was always this older player who knew more than the others and managed to baffle everyone else. For instance, in 1st grade we began like 1, 2, 3... 100... 1000... and then this player at 6th grade would say: Infinite! and we would be like: Whoa! Infinite must be like... super big! And some other kid would say: Not fair! But then would come another one and say: Infinite plus one! And everyone's mind would hopelessly blow.

Silly games.

We used to play to see who can punch the softest. All other people go, barely touching others. Then you punch everyone really hard and say: " I lost".

 

[DrGreg]

But then would come another one and say: Infinite plus one!

Of course, they should have said $2^\infty$. But that's another story...

 

[BillTre]

There is a new World's Fastest Motorized Log!

And its for sale.

 

[Psinter]

The number of socks that go inside the washing machine should be the same number that comes out. I've been carefully watching them and it has all been a success. My hypothesis is that as long as I keep a close eye on them, they will not be lost. So far so good. 5 pairs in, 5 pairs out.

 

[Ibix]

If there was a coding hall of shame, the code that I've been trying to debug and document for the last week would have a prominent place of dishonor. Please KMN.

My sympathies. There are some truly dreadful programmers out there.

 

[lekh2003]

Of course, they should have said $2^\infty$. But that's another story...

Or you could really take it further with: $∞ ↑↑↑∞$. Knuth's arrow notation.

 

[jim hardy]

Gives new meaning to "Woody oops was going to comment on the log hotrod..., ignore

The number of socks that go inside the washing machine should be the same number that comes out.

Should be so but i think there's quantum effects at play. Wasn't it Dave Barry who claimed Neptune is made of lost socks?
Myself I keep an "Unwed Sock Drawer" . Plus I'm no longer OCD that they match , both dark or both light is close enough. Makes Fair Anne laugh.

 

[Ibix]

Wasn't it Dave Barry who claimed Neptune is made of lost socks?

I think it's Reaper Man by Terry Pratchett that features the Eater of Socks. Death has gone AWOL so there's excess life sloshing around and anything anybody believes in starts appearing. Including the Eater of Socks, which is responsible for unpaired socks across the Discworld.

It's the same book that introduces Bilious, the oh god of hangovers.

 

[Psinter]

You get offered an office job with salary $100,000. Only thing though, is that the job is in Alaska. Would you accept?

I may hesitate. I would first need to get to know how I could get warm there. I mean, living all my life in a hot place with average 90F temperatures all year long, my body is certainly not made for Alaska. Going to Alaska would be quite the mission for me.

 

[WWGD]

You get offered an office job with salary $100,000. Only thing though, is that the job is in Alaska. Would you accept?

I may hesitate. I would first need to get to know how I could get warm there. I mean, living all my life in a hot place with average 90F temperatures all year long, my body is certainly not made for Alaska. Going to Alaska would be quite the mission for me.

You may also want to think on how to have access to food ( unless you kill it yourself), having some fun ( unless you enjoy going hunting or sledding in 5f weather ), transportation (maintaining a car/truck in that weather), etc.

 

[jim hardy]

Heck Yeah ! When two of our kids moved to Alaska Fair Anne and i delivered their household goods( not so much an act of kindness as to get it out of our living room). What a great adventure - took Alaska Ferry from Bellingham to Haines, drove across the Yukon...

One of my regrets is i didn't go to work on the Alaska Pipeline in late 60's.

Each of us is the sum total of his experience. Make it big.
Melville hints at that in prologue to Moby Dick - google "Consumptive Usher" .

old jim

 

[Psinter]

You may also want to think on how to have access to food ( unless you kill it yourself), having some fun ( unless you enjoy going hunting or sledding in 5f weather ), transportation (maintaining a car/truck in that weather), etc.

But I thought they had supermarkets .

For fun, internet. It provides hours of entertainment . Whereas if the place is silent I could read countless books.

The transportation is true . It didn't crossed my mind. I've never driven in snow. Under heavy ridiculous rain yes because rain is too common and excessive where I live, but never under snow. Which randomly makes me change the subject to tell about that time when I ran under a storm. That year I ran every single day and I was like: "I don't care if it there is a storm. I'm going out to run." I could barely see anything in front of me due to the heavy rain. My ankles kept getting bended because I would step outside the road due to not being able to see where I was stepping.

 

[WWGD]

Heck Yeah ! When two of our kids moved to Alaska Fair Anne and i delivered their household goods( not so much an act of kindness as to get it out of our living room). What a great adventure - took Alaska Ferry from Bellingham to Haines, drove across the Yukon...
old jim

In Summer, Spring, Winter?

 

[WWGD]

But I thought they had supermarkets .

.

They dohttps://http://www.manta.com/mb_45_B619B02T_02/supermarkets_chain/alaska , but they are not many of them, so not likely near where you live. I mean, it is possible to live there, but it takes a good amount of planning and preparation.