well, anyhow in other news today

Kalman filter is not that fast as I previously thought ...

more disappointing news after the break...

You can gain energy with a syphon.

Survey: Americans struggle with science; respect scientists

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releas...-sas021314.php

While most Americans could be a bit more knowledgeable in the ways of science, a majority are interested in hearing about the latest scientific breakthroughs and think highly of scientists

While most Americans could be a bit more knowledgeable in the ways of science, a majority are interested in hearing about the latest scientific breakthroughs and think highly of scientists.

This is according to a survey of more than 2,200 people conducted by the National Science Foundation, one that is conducted every two years and is part of a report – Science and Engineering Indicators – that the National Science Board provides to the president and Congress.

A Michigan State University faculty member served as lead author for the chapter in the report that covers public perceptions of science. John Besley, an associate professor in MSU's Department of Advertising and Public Relations, reviewed the data, as well as similar surveys from around the world, and highlighted key findings on Feb. 14 during the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

According to the survey, more than 90 percent of Americans think scientists are "helping to solve challenging problems" and are "dedicated people who work for the good of humanity."

"It's important for Americans to maintain a high regard for science and scientists," said Besley, who also is the Ellis N. Brandt Chair in Public Relations. "It can help ensure funding and help attract future scientists."

Unfortunately, Americans still have a tough time answering some basic science questions. Out of a total of nine questions that covered the physical and biological sciences, the average score was 6.5 correct answers.

For example, only 74 percent of those queried knew that the Earth revolved around the sun, while fewer than half (48 percent) knew that human beings developed from earlier species of animals.

Some of the other highlights of the survey include:

A majority of Americans – more than 90 percent – say they are "very interested" or "moderately interested" in learning about new medical discoveries.

The United States appears to be relatively strong in the use of what's known as "informal science education." Nearly 60 percent of Americans have visited a zoo/aquarium, natural history museum or a science and technology museum.

Nearly 90 percent of those surveyed think the benefits of science outweigh any potential dangers.

About a third of the respondents think science and technology should get more funding.


http://msutoday.msu.edu/news/2014/su...ct-scientists/

couldnt find however some more official piece of publication to avoid personal concerns this is a hoax lol (just in case)

Maybe there's an inverse correlation.

Well, sure if you believe in gods like Copernicus and Darwin. But we here in Merica got the freedom to choose our religion.

Mayonnaise has no right to be its consistency. It's just egg yolks, mustard and mostly groundnut oil, FFS.

(Emulsification FTW; I looked it up.)

San Diego is just better.

Here is a case worthy for statistical analysis of population and cancer/thyroid etc type diseases occurring in general population vs the sailors involved to see what is going on really.

http://www.cnn.com/video/data/2.0/vi...tepco.cnn.html

Regardless though for sure these guys did get some wild exposure that could have had huge spike pockets here and there (due to weather carrying clouds/water etc) even if nowhere near as bad as what workers at the reactors post explosion operations efforts got, but maybe still larger than what many cities around got due to the weather patterns naturally protecting somewhat Japan itself, taking most to the Pacific. Still interesting problem to consider. Interesting to also study what is going on with the Japanese workers of that reactor/electric factory areas clean up effort today. I wonder how many deaths are eventually going to be due to the accident.

It would be interesting to be able to have access to any radiation recoding data on the US ships to appreciate really the problem. Poor soldiers/sailors etc are of course the last to know what is going on when sent to do the tough jobs. I would imagine at least scientists on board at the time if available would have some obligation to expose the situation to all if scary and the hell with orders (hopefully not the case to want to silence people but imagine what took place during cold war tests and most certainly the crimes the Soviets did in that regard although US is not far behind as well).

CA prop 65?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Califor..._65_%281986%29

Have you worked with such cases? Good to know we have that but of course the army and ships overseas are another thing. California was never in real risk from Fukushima to be honest although the Berkeley labs i often quoted since then kept checking many local ground, water and food etc things for many months and even years later.

Prop 65 just says you have to post a warning sign. I am sure you have noticed that every building in CA has a sign saying that you will get cancer if you go into it.

It isn't particularly helpful if everyone is forced to give the same warning.

Dont forget my favorite vinegar too. Ok its not that bad though although i get what you mean and i have taken it for granted over time. But what does any of this have to do with telling soldiers in crisis the truth. I dont care if i get 2x the annual dosage in a couple weeks. I would like to know though if you send me to get 10x in a few days or give me to drink or wash with water rich in radioactive elements. I also would like to know if i expect to get an avg of 3-4x 95% of the time but there is a 5% chance to briefly also get bursts of 100x because of the weather etc and what to do about that risk or if i have equipment to at least alarm me that the attack is taking place now etc. I imagine a large ship has such capabilities (making it easy to now argue about the cases brought up from sailors).

Copenhagen zoo kills healthy giraffe in front of children and feeds it to lions.

"I'm actually proud because I think we have given children a huge understanding of the anatomy of a giraffe that they wouldn't have had from watching a giraffe in a photo," Stenbaek Bro told The Associated Press."

http://www.weather.com/news/science/...lions-20140209

What a sicko. Doesn't understand much of the psychology of the human ape.

I saw a zoo exhibit where you would read about a particular kind of ape, and then when you looked through the bars, all you'd see were people standing in line. Then you'd realize it was talking about humans.

I am pretty sure that somewhere in the fine print is "you might die a horrible death."

Specifically, in the case of sailors, what would they do with the knowledge? "Good morning everyone. For the sake of full disclosure, we wanted to let you know that you will all be receiving more than the recommended daily allowance of thorium today." Knowledge is only good if you can use it to choose between alternatives.

You are trolling now. There is a ton of things one can do or avoid doing if they are about to get a ton of radiation. (Even if you cant do anything at least knowing prepares you what to do the rest of your life). One of them is for example being able to sue the Japanese company today and have some solid arguments/evidence to support the claim if they suffer radiation caused illnesses years later (above the frequencies they naturally occur say in a population of several thousands 18 to 38 year olds say or whatever their population looks like). You can avoid drinking as much water as you regularly do for a week for example or drink only bottled or not shower for a week and be dirty but much healthier. You can eat food from bags with napkins or gloves without washing the dishes and utensils or cooking with water that is contaminated (we need to study how a big ship handles their water needs to better comment on this to see what fraction of isotopes survives the process and remain diluted etc) for all i care if such choices expose you to more isotopes. There is a ton of things you can do to get half or 25% of the dosage sometimes while still doing your duty as soldier/sailor/caretaker whatever. If the f*ing defense department spends 700 billion each year (and several trillions last decade on stupid wars) they can spend 20 mil (on gear or whatever even bottled water) for these sailors or to have a plan to "shower" them with all kinds of defensive countermeasures while doing their job that costs far less than a jet fighter. Even equipment you use to breath air can substantially change the dosage.

If they can do those things, then they do have choices and the knowledge would be useful. I'm considering the effects of disclosing it to sailors who aren't in charge (and wouldn't have a clue what to do with the information), not whether the Navy should act or should have acted differently. LDO, those in charge have a duty to protect the sailors. The point is that the sailors are powerless to chose the situation they are put in, and because of that the information is no good to them.

I don't know enough to know whether those in charge acted properly or not, or what information they actually had at the time or what procedures they put in place to protect personnel. IIRC, the disaster was unexpectedly worse than everyone believed at the time.

http://rt.com/usa/uss-reagan-fukushima-radiation-979/

Well my point here is basically that given how much we spend on defense worldwide, spending a little bit to be able to protect ourselves (with proper equipment or processes available) against more legitimate threats (such as a nuclear accident) or the people we send there, presents for me a much more legitimate resources investment. I imagine being part of the US military implies you have taken some elementary classes on nuclear war conditions or how to respond to disasters, including radiation accidents (where the army sends first aid and action personnel regularly - proving often the only indisputable legitimate reason for its existence lol - the other being just the defense of homeland). I mean without ever having being a soldier i can only imagine about these things, but if i were to prepare soldiers in general (beyond their physical training and weapons training etc) i would educate them also about a variety of conditions they may find themselves involved, even if they didnt understand the physics or chemistry or biology behind them. If i have an army that is totally clueless and depends only on the higher ranks "getting it", i essentially have an inferior army to what an opponent should care to have.

I am fairly sure they do training that is job relevant.

I just learnt how to draw these:



Then I got some more pens and drew more of them, in all different colours of the rainbow.

Someone sarcastically asked me this morning "Who won the winter Olympics?" My laconic reply: "The White People." [Below is: Rank, Country, Medal Count]


1 Russia 33
2 United States 28
3 Norway 26
4 Canada 25
5 Netherlands 24
6 Germany 19
7 Austria 17
8 France 15
9 Sweden 15
10 Switzerland 11

I'd say it was the species ****.

Spirograph, I had one as a kid and loved it. Different color pens too!

http://www.toysrus.com/buy/sets-kits...01001-18890536

Excellent reply. However, since more are scientifically illiterate they would not understand it.


**** sapiens (Latin: "wise man") is the scientific name for the human species. **** is the human genus, which also includes Neanderthals and many other extinct species of hominid; H. sapiens is the only surviving species of the genus ****. Modern humans are the subspecies **** sapiens sapiens, which differentiates them from what has been argued to be their direct ancestor, **** sapiens idaltu.