Comments for Sound and Fury

Comment on Enumerating structure on sets, again. by Peter Cameron

Peter Cameron — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 17:38:21 +0000

In my opinion the lesson you learn is this.
If someone gives you an explicit definition of a relation it is usually fairly easy to check that it is reflexive, symmetric and transitive (if this is the case).
But to specify a “random” equivalence relation on a set, it is much simpler to give the partition instead.

Comment on yotta, zetta, exa, peta, tera, giga, mega… kilo? by Seamus

Seamus — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 16:05:52 +0000

Do your research. The SI base unit of mass is the Kilogram. Not the gram.

The point of the post was simply to point out that this is weird. I’m not claiming that I am incapable of measuring something to near enough a kilo. The point is that it is strange that a kilo is defined in such an archaic way: while the metre is defined in terms of an experiment I can in principle repeat, the kilogram is not.

I doubt there is such a thing as knowing too much about something. And don’t tell me my range of knowledge isn’t broad enough.

Comment on yotta, zetta, exa, peta, tera, giga, mega… kilo? by Dequech

Dequech — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 19:12:00 +0000

Dear Nerds,

You know too much about too little…
The metro was defined (200 years ago) based on the length of the Earth Meridian.
It is no coincidence that one degree of latitude corresponds to 100Km.
Obviously, the unit of weight is the Gram and the Kilogram is a multiple of it.
It is no coincidence that it corresponds to 1cm3 of water.

200 years ago it was a great progress compared to how England and the US measurement standards.

One must not forget that (thanks to Hitler) many great scientists (and also artists) came to America after the war making it a significant scientific country.

Before that, English, French, Italian, German, French and even Russian scientists discovered everything significant.

You don’t need to go to Paris (actually, Sevres) to measure anything according to the International System.

You can just go to an american store and buy a measuring device built according to the International Standard.

However, if you prefer to use sub-atomic particles to do your measurements, the same way there are subsequent definitions of length based on micro-wave radiation there are also definitions of weight based on the mass of the Proton or Electron (if you think a Proton is not small enough).

You can also measure everything in Inches or Pounds and later convert to International Standards.

However, if you are a scientist, you can also refuse to convert and publish your work in Burma and Liberia.

Good Luck!

Comment on On the attribution of witty aphorisms by Bill Reed

Bill Reed — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 14:08:47 +0000

“Everything of importance has been said before by somebody who did not discover it.” — Alfred North Whitehead

Comment on Amusing headlines by Seamus

Seamus — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 12:02:08 +0000

It could well be of local concern. But that doesn’t explain how a small electrical fire in Germany makes it into a national newspaper in the UK…

Comment on Amusing headlines by Tally Bane

Tally Bane — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 16:38:51 +0000

Surely the last one is newsworthy. Anything that explodes in a residence is of local and wtf concern. Although wtf issues are not in themselves newsworthy (not a sufficient condition).

Comment on Data as a mass noun by Pianetavivo

Pianetavivo — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 14:39:26 +0000

I remember in ancient Greek language you could say a verb in singular for a plural subject, if they are like a mass: TA’ ZOA TRECHEI = the animals runs, for example.
I am not sure which is better, considering that people change(s) language without thinking about it, and think by language, and I am lazy too. Maybe a gloobish well shared from English would be the best.

Comment on Majority logic I by Pianetavivo

Pianetavivo — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 14:29:05 +0000

I advice to symbolize MOST with a B (like BIG) with the below belly bigger, and MINORITY with a B with the upper belly bigger, or with both bellies backward.

Comment on yotta, zetta, exa, peta, tera, giga, mega… kilo? by Pianetavivo

Pianetavivo — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 14:12:01 +0000

Some one, for instance Fabio Marchesi, a light expert engineer (who’s site is http://www.fabiomarchesi.com/lang1/), believe that light speed can change…
Whenever it should happen, what would do the Institute of Measurements? Have they considered this hypotesis?

Comment on yotta, zetta, exa, peta, tera, giga, mega… kilo? by Pianetavivo

Pianetavivo — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 13:30:35 +0000

Could you explain better? Maybe a same temperature could implicate a different radiation spectrum, and that is why it could implicate a different molecular asset hence a different specific volume?
Cannot we ask directly that damned Institute of Weights? I suspect it is just a matter of French grandeur!
Thanks for this interesting matter.