Dicipline

One thing I've learned is that it is very hard to post daily.  I'm quite impressed with anyone who is able to do it.  Either they have more free time than I do or they don't waste it like I do.

A few days ago I learned about the Streisand Effect. 

A photographer was documenting the coastline of California to look at the effects of erosion.  One of the photographs featured Barbara Streisand's beachfront home.  Streisand (or her lawyers) asked for it to be removed from the photographer's website.  Prior to them making a big deal and asking for it to be taken down, it had been downloaded 6 times, 2 of those times were by her lawyers.  Post the story breaking about this, it was downloaded over 400,000 in a month.

So now whenever acknowledging something causes it to blow up more (especially online) it's referred to as the Streisand Effect.  Where did I learn about this? Online.  I was reading something in an internet article and the comments section someone said, "haven't they ever heard of the Streisand Effect?"  I hadn't, so I went and looked it up.  Of course, now I have no idea what article I was reading, but I haven't forgotten what I learned.

Something I learned from running spellcheck on this post-

A) Google doesn't recognize Streisand
B) they want me to capitalize internet.

George Carlin caused censorship!

Today I learned a little bit about censorship.  It's been going on forever, so my title is quite misleading, but somewhat true when it comes to American radio, TV, music, etc.

George Carlin came up with his routine about the "Seven dirty words you can never say on television" in 1972.  I will not list the words (self censoring, because anyone can type in 7 dirty words in google and have them in .02 seconds.) At that time, there was no official list and no official censorship board for television.  When George Carlin performed this routine in public, he was arrested for disturbing the peace.  He went on to put out another album with another dirty routine, which when aired on the radio led to complaints, which led to a court case, which led to a Supreme Court ruling which led to an official indecency regulation through the FCC.

So if you think Standards and Practices are a bit ridiculous, you can thank George Carlin.

I would like to thank Caustic Soda for today's information.  They use ALL the dirty words.

I pledge allegiance to queen fragg and her mighty state of hysteria

This is the article I read today for my "thing I learned." 

Mental Floss' twitter feed is one of the most enjoyable ways to kill a few minutes between meetings or when you need to clear your head at work.  I also read an article about why traffic lights are red and green.  Did you know that the first traffic light ever installed killed the worker operating it?

Anyway, that's kind of a tangent from today's original topic - the pledge of allegiance.  I knew that "under god" had been added later, but I had no idea that the idea stemmed from  the notion that getting flags in to American classrooms would boost sales.

For some reason, learning the pledge of allegiance makes me think of the 2nd grade.  I'm sure I learned it younger than that; don't they start it for kids in kindergarten? I liked memorization things, so I'm sure I liked the challenge of learning it.  I memorize random stuff all the time.  I have no recollection of saying the pledge in high school.  Either my school didn't do it or I just wasn't paying attention. (The latter is entirely possible.)

If you ask me now I have to say that the pledge of allegiance is stupid.  Do other countries make their kids swear to love their country?  Sounds very shady, like something Korea would have its citizens do. Not a free nation like the United States.

Goal - American citizenship and a thinner population

The average American citizen knows less about our system of government than someone from another country who has become a naturalized citizen. (Made up fact I think is correct.)  I decided that I wanted to learn everything that people studying to take the citizenship test would learn.  I figured it would be good to have goals as well as learning random factoids or tidbits on larger subjects.  I need to find a study guide.

Today I learned about pros and cons for having a fat tax (again, Chuck and Josh and Stuff You Should Know.)  Studies show that having a fat tax would raise food prices across the board.  People who are struggling to get by as it is can't take a 3% increase in all of their food costs, but maybe that's what it will take to get people to stop buying chips and start buying carrots.  I can't really talk because I eat a lot of junk food (and let's not start talking about my soda habit - I have to have some vices.)  I honestly think if they started charging a 60 cent tax on coke, then I might curb my habit.  Anyway, it will probably never happen.  Nanny state arguments and all.  Of course, they did pass taxes on cigarettes so I could be wrong.

Otters and gelatin

Yesterday I learned that otters hold hands while they're asleep in the water so they don't drift away from each other.  Cutest thing ever?  Yes. 

Today I learned that hooves are not actually used in gelatin.  They use animal bones, pig's hides and now even fish.  Using fish can help to overcome some of the religious prohibitions on gelatin items.  Good thing I'm not one of those religions because giving up candy corns and marshmallows would be hell.

The route that took me here was animal trivia-> horses hooves -> gelatin.  I've actually read 3 wikipedia articles to get to that fact, but  there you go.

I also found this "fact."

"Studies show that if a cat falls off the seventh floor of a building it has about thirty percent less chance of surviving than a cat that falls off the twentieth floor. It supposedly takes about eight floors for the cat to realize what is occurring, relax and correct itself. At about that height it hits maximum speed and when it hits the ground it's rib cage absorbs most of the impact."

How do they know? They can't test that!

Men's Hair and JPL

June 9/10, 2012

I learned about scalp pigmentation.  I'd driven by a place that advertised it in the window, and had no idea what they were doing and came home and looked it up.  So basically the idea is that they tattoo a bunch of dots on a guys head to make it look like they have the barest amount of stubble.

I guess what you really have to decide is "what color and where should my hairline be?" I would love to see this up close just to see what it really looks like.

I guess if women can get their makeup tattooed on, why not men's hair?

Yesterday we went to JPL for their annual open house.  It's always really cool to see all the people who turn up.  Yesterday there was a guy in full Vulcan Elder costume.  Tons of Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts.  I love something that gets kids excited about science.  The coolest thing we saw yesterday was getting to go in to mission control.  We actually got to walk on the floor where all the people sit when they're controlling "space stuff."  We got to see the room that all the scientists will be in when the Mars Rover Curiosity lands.

And I learned there's an asteroid named after Anne Frank.

Jurassic Park Fractal

June 8, 2012

Today I learned about fractals.  I should actually say that today I skimmed the upper surface of fractals. I listened to half of Chuck's and Josh's podcast on fractals and have a basic idea.  Prior to the podcast the only thing I knew about fractals was the picture that introduced each chapter of Jurassic Park.

The gist of what I learned is that fractals are mostly used to mathematically explain items from nature.  The coast, a fern, a mountaintop, etc.  Things that euclidean geometry doesn't fully explain/identify.

I think I need to do more research, or at least finish listening to SYSK, before I write anymore about fractals. Now at least if someone ever mentions them, and really who ever will, I'll know enough to keep my mouth shut and not say anything lest I prove my stupidity.

Give me an x, y, and a z axis any day.