Royston

Thanks, probably just beginners luck. I did get better with each go though. I'll see if I can beat it later on. Here's a similar game, played it a few times (must admit the only game I got truly addicted to was Zelda 'Ocarina of Time' on the N64, which was years ago) not a die hard gamer myself, but have a go at this if you liked 'escape' http://www.ebaumsworld.com/squares.html The music sounds a bit like Daft Punk, albeit gets very repetitive after a while.

I managed 53.06 seconds...guess that's pretty good, only played for 5 minutes.

I searched for this, but couldn't find anything...so apologies if someones already posted a topic on the BBCI. Anyway, I've just been watching 'the gadget show' on channel 5 who were doing the rounds at this years 'ceBit Computer Fair' in Hanover. A prototype of the BBCI (Berlin Brain Computer Interface) was being tested for the first time in front of a live audience. Using an EEG, the programme uses a process of elimination when the user is confronted with groups of letters. Purely by using thought, and using a yes or no response i.e the person thinks of moving their left or right arm. The subject can move the cursor on screen to the group of letters they require to whittle down to one, and so write a word. It's been dubbed the 'mental typewriter', and although there is a lot of room for refinement, there's no doubt on the huge implications this technology has. A couple of articles from BCCN, and New Scientist http://www.bernstein-zentren.de/en/259.php http://www.newscientisttech.com/article/dn8826.html

Maybe the rednecks are the aliens (que theremin sound.)

Thanks blike, I'm sure I clicked it this morning, but it was still doing it...but I'll double check and let you know.

You all have my deepest sympathy, and I'm really sorry to hear of both your losses. I really didn't intend this thread to provoke bad memories...I'm really sorry everyone. I should of made it clearer what I was trying to get across. Erm, what I was trying to say (and I'm trying really hard not to devalue anything anyone has said...because I've clearly raised a very sensitive issue) but how in a few seconds there can be huge change in your life...for better or worse. Where it can be something as miniscule as just a fleeting thought, or a couple of words out of place, or a small act that can promote change that's far reaching. That's why I used a revelation as an example. I just used my example because it's what lead to me realize how quickly everything can just turn about. Yes I do consider myself a very lucky person indeed, there's a lot of people who really don't appreciate what they have, until it's gone. People I'm sorry, I really didn't mean to cause anybody any sadness.

LOL, I had a moment of 'wrap rage' with some fresh mince I had stuck in the freezer. There is a dent on the kitchen work surface, where I lost my rag trying to separate the polystyrene bottom from the meat. There was a whole programme of some blokes campaign trying to get a company to change the design of 'cheese singles' wrapping...the sort of processed cheese slices you get on burgers. He had trouble separating the wrapping from the cheese (they're individually wrapped.) You have to be particularly sad to waste so much time and effort when (on the rare occasion I've bought them) they're a doddle to remove. He was the kinda person who organises 'neighbourhood watch' meetings.

Well, I don't think you'll have any problems going by your posts, you sure as hell know more than I do in the area of science...good luck anyway. As for emotional outpouring, it needs to be done now and again, nothing wrong with that IMO. Probably better to think they'd be proud of you. I actually found it hard telling my friends how it felt...in fact I didn't, because I don't want to bother them with my problems a lot of the time...but they were very supportive all the same, luckily it only had to be endured for a while.

Bascule, It's pretty crazy...a couple of words out of place can have such a knock on effect, especially when the person is highly influential, or has power. It can happen in a split second, the right thought can carry on for years and enhance so many lives, and a bad decision can bring contention and anger, and can even promote bias, and segregation. Love the sig by the way, Bascule.

A couple of weeks ago I was pretty ill, constant vomiting, diarrhea et.c Lots to do at work, so I went back feeling dreadful...on the way back from work I got a phone call from my Dad, that my Mum had been rushed to hospital and it was very serious (life threatening serious) I then walked into my house to find a letter from the bailiffs...on top of this because I was ill (a week behind on my course), I had to get an assignment in the next day. So I was up until the early hours writing an essay, doing equations what have you, then had to go back to work the next day. In the morning I posted my assignment (I passed...woohoo) got a phone call that my Mum was in the clear, phoned the bank to find there was an error in a regular payment that was their fault, the illness had passed and I got a half day compassionate leave from work. It seemed in a matter of hours my life went from being consumed by the fear of losing my Mum, panic and anger with the letter, feeling sick, trying to cope with an important assignment and loads to cope with at work, straight back to normality. It just made me appreciate how quickly things can turn around in a second (or in my case a few hours). A decision a leader makes...Einstein getting his revelation for relativity, such things can take years to come about, but in a split second 'something happens' that can change the course of history. It can just be the firing of neural transmitter (a split second) and everything will change for the future. I just thought it was maybe worth appreciating, that such a small fleeting moment as a decision or a revelation can quite literally change the course of history.

I've searched to see if this has been a past problem, but I couldn't find anything. Anyway, for some reason I keep on getting automatically logged out...usually when I'm in the middle of posting something. It will then ask me to log in when I submit, and when I do, it goes onto 'you have tried to access an invalid thread (or something similar) please contact the administrator.' So I click back and submit again...sometimes it works, but sometimes I end up double posting. It's just getting a little tiresome doing this nearly every time I submit...any ideas what's causing this ?

Also in no particular order: Baraka Withnail and I Donnie Darko Gladiator Free Willy 2... Fight Club

I'm sure my alarm clock is made of unobtanium, it's been violently beaten every morning for the last 5 years, not a scratch on it...I'm yet to perform a high temperature test, I'll update you with my findings.

Going back to the OP, have a read of the points raised in this thread Nacelunk...I pretty much raise the same questions you have (apart from cause) which I think you may find interesting. I'm not sure of the current strength of LQG and LQC, but nevertheless I'm sure you'll find it useful. http://www.scienceforums.net/forums/showthread.php?t=15535&highlight=lqg+lqc

Got it, thanks a lot Swansont ! That makes a lot of sense.

Well both really. I can't understand how they determined the velocity of the wave before knowing the location of the source, and with not understanding the quantities of certain rock in the earth...I guess I'm missing something obvious. I think I'm just getting the order of evidence mixed up.

Sorry if this seems obvious, but I'm a bit confused how it's possible to locate the epicentre of an earthquake using the method of recording the speed of vibrational waves to a seismometer. If the only true test is using an earthquake to acquire the data, how is it possible to do preliminary tests to work out the speed of a wave through earth size masses of compressed, and fluid rock. How did they determine the start of an earthquake, and the speed it takes the wave to hit the seismometer, when (at the time) there was little knowledge of the quantities of certain rock that make up the mass of the earth.

Well dark matter (as well as gravity) could possibly keep things clustered...but I need to check that. Dark energy is different...but as for consciousness, I can't see why it can't be cyclic or in more than one place, or anything else. It's hard to say what it actually is, where it resides et.c...and I don't think any physical attributes that we have observed of the universe have changed that, well not yet.

Well I'm studying through the OU, and it's structured differently to doing a regular degree though the outcome is the same (they have to cater for mature students as well...which obviously means going back to basics in some fields), but really, don't be put off. As 5614 said, you can look up anything at any level on the net, and SFN has some very helpful people if you have any questions...don't be scared of asking, I've asked some really daft stuff in the past...and still am, it's just questions I havn't gotten round to studying fully yet, but to get the answers and then see them unfold as you learn is great.

I'm in the same boat (apart from the language problem)...and I'm 29! I've only recently rekindled my passion with cosmology which I had when I was in single figures. Don't be put off by equations and such...I'm learning the basics in QM in a few months, and I had a look at the equations a few weeks ago and it scared me to death...now they make a little more sense. As long as you start with basics and gradually progress, which the current course I'm doing is perfect for that, you'll start to realise it's not that hard. It'll be tougher getting your head round the implications of physics...but I've been reading your other thread on 'how many universes', and you're definetly asking the right questions.

That's what I was going to say. Isn't it to do with the abundance of dark energy and it's propogation, I guess there's a lot more to it than that, but the universe is definetly expanding at an accelerated rate...so energy hasn't necessarily shown any signs that it will die out.

LOL, my mistake...you could probably send a cow over the channel with a kite that big.

Well I'm not questioning your calculations...but are you planning on doing a solo flight across the channel...12 x 12 is HUGE. I didn't think you could get kites that large...well not recreational, please correct if I'm wrong though.