Phi for All

Positive thinking opens you up to higher probabilities of positive things happening to you, imo. You usually find what your keeping an eye out for. Think of the opportunities you miss when you're thinking negatively. This is different from critical thinking. I know a lot of people who confuse the two. Many people think negatively while trying to think positively (I won't crash the car, I will get out of debt, I won't be plagued by jerks today) so they sort of short-circuit themselves. You have to try to attract what you want rather than trying to repel what you don't want. I've often wondered how you would devise a test for positive thinking. Since it's a state of mind it would be difficult to measure the subjects. How would you measure results from positive or negative thinking?

No, but it helps if you know how to read construction documents done in CAD. If you're freelance you have to get by on your credentials or your reputation to get work so even if you're a carpenter it helps to have good credentials so you can have a shot at earning a good reputation. The architect's construction documents go into extreme detail in many cases. A plan may call out a "detail" that shows how a wall is supposed to meet and attach to the flooring. Section cuts will show a cross section of the building or it's walls to show how they are put together. It's the contractors who actually build the building, but a good size chunk of an architect's fees (average 25%) goes to construction administration where the architect makes sure the contractors are reading the plans right. It's a collaborative effort but the "figuring" is done by the architects and engineers, while the actual building is done by the contractors under supervision.

An architect designs a building based on many factors including cost, municipal codes, owner / developer requirements, community style, etc. A civil engineer usually consults on the structural integrity of the design, but isn't required in many instances if the architect is willing to use his own stamp of approval on the plans. Some extremely typical buildings only require the stamp of a civil engineer (instead of an architect's stamp) for permit approval. Electrical engineers and physical engineers can act as consultants for incorporating mechanical, electrical and plumbing information into the building's plans. A contractor is someone like a carpenter, plumber, HVAC installer, electrician who actually does the construction of the building under contract. A general contractor is often hired to act as overseer for the construction and to plan for scheduling of all construction (you don't want to clad a wall before the plumber puts his pipes through it, or pour cement on the same day the electrician needs to install a breaker panel in the same area). Most architects don't have an engineering degree but they do have to know a great deal about structural methodology. They have architectural degrees and have to be licensed (in the US) in each state they intend to design buildings for. They must maintain compliance with all applicable building codes in the various municipalities as well. Civil engineers are often all that's needed when the building has a simple structural intent (such as a warehouse) and requires no elaborate design. And architects rarely design bridges unless there is an ascetic or political business driver involved. Civil engineers design the bridges and may bring in an architect as a consultant for something artistic, just as an architect often uses a civil engineer to give approval to elaborate structural designs. When both engineers and architects become licensed they are issued a stamp they can affix to drawings to signify that they are guaranteed not to fall down. They pay Errors & Omissions insurance the same way doctors pay malpractice insurance.

We've argued this many times before. Calling mustard gas and sarin gas "weapons of mass destruction" is just wrong. They are crowd dispersal weapons. They are used to flush the enemy from their hiding places so you can shoot them, or to deny them access to an area you've captured. They are deadly by themselves only when the victims can't leave the area (crowded subway train, locked building, etc.). Iraq used them quite effectively against the Iranians (and the Kurds they claimed were helping them). It's pretty effective to toss in the gas and shoot whoever pops up choking. And if you don't pop up the gas will get you eventually, but does that really fit in with the WMD classification? You could get almost the same result from ordinary smoke (which kills more people in a fire than the actual fire does). When the media says "nerve agent" most people start thinking about thousands of urban victims walking along and suddenly dropping dead when a molecule of sarin touches them. This is not the case and if you can exit the area where the gas is being used it's not fatal, as long as there is no one waiting to shoot you.

As others have mentioned, you make a big mistake saying that two physicists are representative of all physicists. In fact, if you meet another physicist and assume he's insulting and arrogant, *you* will be the one who is discriminating. I'm sure those teachers you mentioned are as bad as you say, but that doesn't make all physicists or even all teachers that way. Many teachers are waiting for those few students who really want to learn and they often get frustrated with the majority who are just there to pass the class. Never let a teacher dull your interest in any subject. Especially in college, there are always other teachers. Find one you get along with and learn. Well, everyone knows that *all* mathematicians are cool people. They can leave their sunglasses on while people like me need to see their fingers to count past three.

How does this discrimination manifest itself? What exactly are they doing that you feel is discriminatory?

I like that they keep frogs as pets, or possibly housekeepers. Are there others in the tarantula family that exhibit possible "pack" behavior? I've never heard of this from web spinners before.

I heard that the "gasoline" in the truck was refined from oil that may have come from the Middle East so there's clearly an Al Qaeda link there somewhere. Will we ever know the truth?

I nominate Severian for Best Primate of the Year!

Probably not. Is there a disclaimer requesting something like, "you may not reproduce or store in or transmit to any other web site, newsgroup, mailing list, etc.?

People who join to lead us to a great site they've found are SPAMMERS. Your account will be left open temporarily on the off chance you come back to actually discuss something.

I don't care if you are a professional physicist, you get a mop and clean up that sarcasm, young man! Oh yeah, how's the night job lap-dancing working out, T? Still driving the ladies crazy?

Why would an education in natural science affect your supernatural beliefs? I hope you aren't going to try to use one to refute the other.

Man, I thought it would be easier to fool a bunch of primates! It did take you a while to count that high on your fingers though. Just don't tell Severian the carrot at the end of the stick is plastic.

This is your last posting of creationist garbage in our evolution forum. We waste too much time refuting it and people like you never listen. You are woefully misinformed and haven't bothered to take the time to learn about what you disagree with. Please go to http://www.talkorigins.org and read everything you can (no, don't make that face) and then come back if you have anything original or interesting to say.

Please don't post any more creationist put-downs of science. You are making a mistake by using religion to refute science. We will promise not to use science to refute religion. Thread closed, links disabled.

I think you get to be a Scientist at 2500 posts, you big ape.

When you request help you must cooperate to get it. You've been asked numerous questions, and you've only answered one, that you live in Israel. We are trying to be civil in order to find out more about you but you should have understood by now that what you're proposing to do has never been done by any small group. Furthermore, it's illegal in your country. Can you imagine the response of your neighboring countries if you were to shoot off a rocket that may violate their airspace? One more post requesting unspecified help with no further information and this thread is closed. It was funny when we thought you were 8 years old but now it's clear you aren't listening and that's just tedious.

You've mentioned this twice. Were you denied grant money for one of your conjectures? Do you feel this is necessary? Do you have an hypothesis you put more faith in?

We're done here. Thread closed.

Seriously, SkepticLance, you're talking about a phenomenon more related to an otherwise upstanding citizen who feels a need to be respected rather than true criminality. As ParanoiA suggest, criminals who use guns don't do it for feelings of power, they use them for greed and need.

Curb your disappointment a bit. He specified burglar, twice, not robber or mugger. A burglar is typically interested in theft by stealth, and usually isn't armed, at least that's the distinction I make. That's why I didn't jump on him with both feet.

What is your level of education? What are your current skills? What are your current resources? How long was the bus you rode to school? Have you ever done any model rocketry before? Where do you live? Would your government be willing to help with the diplomatic sanctions necessary for such a launch? Why is there a breast on the moon? Can you tell us what the "something" is you wish to send? Is it a red ball? Are there laws against this sort of thing in your country? If not, why not?

Well, we like having you here spending money, but don't expect us to change everything just for the few times you visit. That's not good fiscal planning. Now you're bordering on restriction of trade. Let's say I own a gun manufacturing company (we'll call it LM Corp). It's in my best interests to keep demand for LM's product high. My marketers tell me that tighter gun laws will make our sales suffer. Without sales of our guns my employees and I will also suffer. So I donate US$2.3M to the presidential campaign that respects my right to run my business without oppressive laws that restrict my trade. This is completely legal and has the benefit of gaining me first crack at some nice government contracts too (preferentially written so only LM Corp can fill them!). Better sales means I can now afford to pass along some savings to my customers as well. I reduce costs to my distributors and support a marketing campaign so they can run a sale on my .38 caliber snub-nose 6-shot revolver. This actually makes me more money because it's a crappy gun that makes people long for my sleek 15-shot semi-auto nines. Much more accurate and ammo sales go through the roof since the trigger practically pulls itself on a good 9mm. This is business, my friend, and I play by the rules. I can't help it if some of my customers use my product poorly. Are you going to put the auto manufacturers out of business because some people are bad drivers? But I employ 140,000 people worldwide. Put me out of business and a lot of people suffer. News Zealand, huh? Shame about those muggers and killers. You need some protection. It's just not right that you should walk around afraid. Do you know anybody in government there? Ever thought about running for office? If we could just get someone to relax a few of those restrictions we could all make more money.

Laptops are great if you travel except I can't stand the touchpads (too much time lost). I keep meaning to pop down and get a bluetooth mouse. Laptops will be using cellular networks more and more too, so you won't have to keep a map of wi-fi friendly coffee shops and libraries. I'll be outside on the back porch this summer making money with my cordless VOIP phone and my laptop while soaking up some rays. Sometimes the portability makes it tough to step away from the computer and realize the house needs a good clean or the body needs more exercise. Laptops make it easy to be a comp potato. Nothing beats a desktop computer for thrifty power computing though. The only thing that will make them obsolete for me is when the whole house is one big computer and I can access my files and programs from anywhere. Try to steal my comp then!