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

[Evo]

I wonder whether they checked coolant level before replacing the thermostat? If it gets so low that the radiator core isn't fully immersed, the engine runs marginally hotter than it ought to, and as fluid level creeps ever lower eventually gets hot enough to trigger a coolant over-temperature warning. This may or may not be annunciated as such; auto manufacturers may bring this out to the dash as a stylized red thermometer, or bunch it along with everything else the 'check engine' light denotes.

It sounds like they did not check the coolant first, they were convinced from the start the problem was the thermostat, it was only after replacing the thermostat that the engine light was showing the same issue that they flushed the cooling system and the light went out. Believe it or not, my car does not have an engine temperature gauge, among others. The paperwork is written so that it sounds like they did all of the work and resolved the issue. Done.

 

[Evo]

Ask for your old thermostat. (In some states they are supposed to ask you if you want the old part.)
You might be able to check it out to see if it busted. (Have any friends who are mechanics?)

Even if they gave me a broken one, I wouldn't know if it came from my car..

 

[OmCheeto]

@Evo I have made it a habit to reset the warning light when it comes on before taking it to a mechanic. Very often they are just service reminders and don't indicate any actual problem with the car. I only take it in if the light keeps coming back on.

Service reminders?
hmmm...
My truck is now (2017.9 - 2009.5) 8.4 years old. I've only had one of the imbecile lights come on once, and have never had my vehicle in for service.
The light went out after a few miles, after fiddling with things the owners manual said caused it. ["Either your gas cap is loose, or, something else is boogered" The cap was not loose]
Anyone remember what year I took a picture of the Heceta Lighthouse? That's when it happened. hmmm...

Never mind. It was 2.5 years ago: 2015.07.12

Someone from Bulgaria talked me into taking that picture. Weird, huh?

 

[OmCheeto]

Even if they gave me a broken one, I wouldn't know if it came from my car..

I know a good honest mechanic, but his shop is in Tennessee.

hmmmm...

Road Trip!

 

[collinsmark]

I just realized this a few minutes ago in a different thread, but I thought I'd also share it here.

In William Shakespeare's play Hamlet, Prince Hamlet speaks his famous quote when contemplating suicide:

"To be, or not to be, that is the question"​

When evaluating that statement in C based programming language (C, C++, C#, etc.) in a statement such as
0x2b | ~0x2b
where "0x" specifies hexadecimal, "|" is the bitwise "OR" operator and "~" is the bitwise "NOT" operator, it evaluates to "-1." 'Kinda spooky.

Spoiler: Example

For example, the program

#include "stdafx.h"
#include <stdio.h>

int main()
{
    printf("%d", 0x2b | ~0x2b);

    getchar();
    return 0;
}

simply outputs "-1".

Of course, that would be the case with any fixed-point number ORed with its own bit-wise inverse. So "2b" isn't really special here. But still.

 

[BillTre]

Even if they gave me a broken one, I wouldn't know if it came from my car..

Yeah. Probably too late now. When I have car work done, they usually have a pile of parts and ask if I want any of it before they pitch it.

 

[OCR]

Are Our strive to achieve correctness and total accuracy on this Forum is relentless and uncompromising !... .
Therefore, and hereafter, the structure called...

Heceta Lighthouse

Shall be referred to as... Heceta Head Light. .

I know a good honest mechanic, but his shop is in Tennessee.

Honest, so do I ... weird, huh?

 

[fresh_42]

Around 30 years and hundreds of fancy, questionable features later, I still use the command shell and the repetition functionality of DOS commands, and to do what?

ping www.google.com -t​

... the telephone company changes its transmission protocols ...

 

[WWGD]

Same thing every time. I ask for hot tea at the cafe'. They say : Honey? I say : Yes, sugar bear.

 

[Posy McPostface]

I want to post a thread about laser weapons and the possibility of them providing an absolute defense measure against the MAD doctrine, and whether people think that's true or if not why; but, am afraid of getting banned for low post quality. I think it's a simple enough question, not very political, and somewhat edifying to know if possible to implement. It would seem that laser technology has matured enough to make such a defense measure possible, since when first Reagan proposed the Strategic Defence Initiative or pejoratively known as 'Star Wars'.

Thoughts?

 

[fresh_42]

Same thing every time. I ask for hot tea at the cafe'. They say : Honey? I say : Yes, sugar bear.

Is this your version of a bungee jump?

 

[WWGD]

Is this your version of a bungee jump?

?Just when I thought my posts were bizarre...? Traduttore Traitore??

 

[WWGD]

I just found Waldo. What do I do now??

 

[WWGD]

I want to post a thread about laser weapons and the possibility of them providing an absolute defense measure against the MAD doctrine, and whether people think that's true or if not why; but, am afraid of getting banned for low post quality. I think it's a simple enough question, not very political, and somewhat edifying to know if possible to implement. It would seem that laser technology has matured enough to make such a defense measure possible, since when first Reagan proposed the Strategic Defence Initiative or pejoratively known as 'Star Wars'.

Thoughts?

Ask within the lounge how to go about it, or PM Greg or some other mentor.

 

[fresh_42]

?Just when I thought my posts were bizarre...?

Will the cord work, or will it not? Will I get into a fight, or will I not? You live a dangerous life ...
I've once been told I'd rather lose a close friend than a bad pun. Dude, me thinks you're in a similar category

 

[WWGD]

Will the cord work, or will it not? Will I get into a fight, or will I not? You live a dangerous life ...
I've once been told I'd rather lose a close friend than a bad pun. Dude, me thinks you're in a similar category

Oh, no, I just get blank stares and then get ignored. EDIT But I take it back, I see what you meant. I don't know how it works there at Konigsberg with its bridges, but being bizarre here is not helpful, to say the least.

 

[Posy McPostface]

Am I not in the lounge?

It might be better to post this in the SCI-FI section of the forum, with something of the following:

"How far away are we from eradicating the MAD doctrine? Will laser weapons provide a means to that end?"

 

[WWGD]

Am I not in the lounge?

It might be better to post this in the SCI-FI section of the forum, with something of the following:

"How far away are we from eradicating the MAD doctrine? Will laser weapons provide a means to that end?"

My bad, I meant to say, open a new post within general discussion asking how to go about posting, or ask Greg and/or a mentor.

 

[berkeman]

Am I not in the lounge?

It might be better to post this in the SCI-FI section of the forum, with something of the following:

"How far away are we from eradicating the MAD doctrine? Will laser weapons provide a means to that end?"

Please do a forum search. There have been several recent threads about missile defense systems based on lasers.

And MAD is not currently much of an issue. There are other missile threats that are much more real at the moment...

 

[Posy McPostface]

Please do a forum search. There have been several recent threads about missile defense systems based on lasers.

And MAD is not currently much of an issue. There are other missile threats that are much more real at the moment...

I did some more thinking and hope to post this in the sci-fi section of the forum, under the rationale of "Are directed energy weapons an 'absolute defense' against threats, and if so how will they shape the future of war?" (I'm still trying to make a less ambiguous thread title and polishing up the whole thing).

On second thought, I think I'll just research the matter in more detail, as I seem to be confused as to formalize the idea into words.

 

[berkeman]

On second thought, I think I'll just research the matter in more detail, as I seem to be confused as to formalize the idea into words.

Thanks. And if you can, please run the proposed OP past me whenever you think your are ready. I can help you make a post that should turn into a good thread (if possible).BTW, be sure to read about the issues introduced in missile defense systems when the missiles have decoy technology incorporated in their warhead payloads...

 

[Evo]

I did some more thinking and hope to post this in the sci-fi section of the forum, under the rationale of "Are directed energy weapons an 'absolute defense' against threats, and if so how will they shape the future of war?" (I'm still trying to make a less ambiguous thread title and polishing up the whole thing).

On second thought, I think I'll just research the matter in more detail, as I seem to be confused as to formalize the idea into words.

I'm glad to see you putting more thought into your posts. The Sci-fi forum is actually for reviewing and discussing current works of science fiction, books, movies, etc..., although some threads that weren't acceptable elsewhere in the forum were moved there by mistake.

And do take Berkeman up on his offer of help, he's great!

 

[Posy McPostface]

Thanks. And if you can, please run the proposed OP past me whenever you think your are ready. I can help you make a post that should turn into a good thread (if possible).BTW, be sure to read about the issues introduced in missile defense systems when the missiles have decoy technology incorporated in their warhead payloads...

Thank you for the offer and time for making such a thread possible; but...

I decided to drop the idea (is that you ADD?), due to the sheer amount of information available online. What I also concluded is that such systems would be only effective, for defending cities or carriers and destroyers. To counter ICBM's one would have to have these lasers in space, which brings a whole host of issues in regards to the weaponization of space, that would probably prohibit such a defense system from being implemented. EDIT: Technically an alternative to the weaponization of space problem is to have high altitude drones equipped with lasers to target rogue nations like North Korea from launching an ICBM during the boost phase. This is something the MDA (Missle Defence Agency) is working on at the moment. So, that's that.

 

[Posy McPostface]

Well, I'm stumped. I think, I'll ask someone more competent then, here;

Is a fish wet in water or only when taken out of water?

 

[fresh_42]

Well, I'm stumped. I think, I'll ask someone more competent then, here;

Is a fish wet in water or only when taken out of water?

It depends.
These two are wed

and this one isn't:

 

[Posy McPostface]

Well, Trump just signed a new directive for NASA to go back to the moon and then Mars. I expect media coverage to be minimal to nothing.

 

[Apple_Mango]

After being in college for a year, I just realize how high-school is a waste of time.

 

[WWGD]

Horrible idea: Just saw this couple crossing the street while holding hands. What if a car heads in their direction at high speed? Will they be able to think quickly-enough to let go of the hands?

 

[Asymptotic]

Horrible idea: Just saw this couple crossing the street while holding hands. What if a car heads in their direction at high speed? Will they be able to think quickly-enough to let go of the hands?

Were they each other's hands? If disembodied, for damn sure I'd be in a high speed car heading in the other direction.

 

[WWGD]

Were they each other's hands? If disembodied, for damn sure I'd be in a high speed car heading in the other direction.

?? Where they each other hands?? Do you mean if they were holding each other's hands?