DrP

Same with police force targets imo.

I don't know Phi. I do know that some fall the net though unfortunately. I've seen it happen.

QUOTE "The UK system is far from perfect" Yes - I agree - any big organisation has corruption and waste - but right now anyone can go to the doctors at any time to get checked out without fear of financial hardship whether they can afford it or not. It takes the decision of "can I afford to go to the doc's?" away from the equation completely.

Can you not see the problem with that 5worlds? If you charge people to go to the doctors then they will tend not to go unless they feel it is absolutely necessary. You can't tell me there aren't thousands that have suffered because they can't afford the care in your country (or are just too tight to pay). I guess my revulsion of your system is just because I have been lucky to have known the NHS system my entire life. It works well. I like the USA and feel it would seriously benefit from something similar - morally and financially (treat the sick so they don't die so they can carry on paying their taxes or cost you less by treating a sickness before it gets worse and costs more. ). Anyway - I've derailed this thread enough. Sorry. My advice still stands though - Go to the doctor and pester them for a diagnosis until they give you one (if you are lucky enough to live in a country with decent health care - other wise I guess you are on your own )

Oph - I thought most 1st world countries had decent health care, current criticism of our NHS aside. I know the US hasn't - I was being facetious, sorry if that did not come across (I put a wink there to indicate lack of seriousness). In a country as advanced as the USA I would expect a person to be able to go to the doctor when ill to get checked out without having to worry about finances. I think it is deplorable that they can't.

Not my field - but if they won't listen to the doctors and experts and continue to refuse to play ball, then maybe they should speak to social services... I wonder what they would have to say about the parents that are not vaccinating their kids?

Wot!? Going to the doctor is completely free - unless you live in the 3rd world or something? ;-) I'd go back to the doctor and keep turning up until they give you some further tests, a firm diagnosis or an injunction to keep away.

They are very helpful and polite here to: www.chemicalforums.com - they are nice, but if you post homework then you have to show an attempt at least before they open up with answers for you. Good for basic explanations though.

I gave you +2 there for that Ed. ;-)

I've been together with my laptop for about 4 years now.

The remove format button did not seem to work. I do not know what the button left of that is (First button top left) - it is blank. Thanks for the help, but I think my prob is something to do with our network settings. I am fine when at home.

That's a lovely story Dan. I have tales of love to tell as well..... but none that have ever lasted more than 7 years. I am now divorced, but very happy for you. When I was married we used to tell the tale of how we met and how I proposed as it was a little different. I still remember it fondly but have happily moved on. I don't think a robot would really need to get drunk to have a good time - lol. They would be made of different stuff. I suppose they could be programed to emulate this behaviour though if one were to prefer their companions inebriated.

I cannot quote or cut and paste when I am at work here - I think it might be something to do with our network settings because not many others get this problem. Also - when I am at home on my laptop or PC I can paste and quote just fine.

Quick 2 cents - I think you are right on both sides of this - some people only do good because of religion and some will do good anyway and some will in spite of. I think it is complicated. It is an interesting conversation and I have enjoyed watching it play out from both sides of the discussion. After my fairly recent conversion to atheism I find these types of debate very interesting and understand viewpoints from both camps.

Maybe not Dan - I liked your post... I am just saying it as I see it and feel it right now. Maybe I am being too cynical, maybe I am being discriminatory toward future AI robots to say 'they won't care'... idk. I'd take one though, although I doubt I'll ever be able to afford one. lol.

I'll have to look that up when I am not at work, although I suspect you are over thinking it. When the terms lightening and thunder where introduced I do not know if they were defined tightly enough to determine the exact point in the discharge you deem the spark to be called lightening. The ionisation and energy releases you are talking about HAVE to happen before the sound though, surely, as it is this energy released by that that causes the superheating and the expansion and thus the sound. Anyway - unless I unearth something amazing and new when I look that up later I guess I can add no more. I will let a pure physicist answer you question. Regards.

I would have to agree with you Ed - marriage would be unnecessary as the robot would not care a bit about anything other than what it is programed to (even with AI). Thus it will obey without question - no marriage needed. (I kind of like the sound of that!).

I do not know what the delay is Ed, but there has to be some delay because one causes the other. You could ask when exactly does the spark begin?... Is it a spark when it is first visible or is it a spark when the first photon of light is emitted? The time measurement from these points will be different (micro seconds?). I do not even know if the exact point the discharge actually becomes defined as a spark. For the spark to cause thunder though it would need to be huge (although small sparks do make a little crack sound). None the less, this energy released to the spark heats the air and causes it to expand causing the thunder... which happens (micro seconds?) AFTER the discharge. How could it be different? My assumption would be that you can see the light before the air has started to expand - thus the sound comes after the light. (when I say 'see' here I mean the exact point the light leaves the spark, not when it enters your eye.)

Those laws aside - you can put me down for a personal robot when they are available..... I am lazy enough to welcome a robot that will do the dishes and my laundry and keep me company and be at my beck and call for whatever purpose I desire... A human could not do all that without having off days when they do not want to and off days when they will piss me off... a robot that will just obey sounds simple... Marriage though?... It would have to be a damn fine robot!!

QUOTE EE: ..."no perceivable difference.." Of course not, how would your human senses detect that? The spark, however, DOES come before the bang.... there is no 'perhaps' about it, we know this. PS: The use of "perhaps" and confusing the simple issue by talking about irrelevant ions in a vacuum was why I gave you a -1 earlier, although studiot thought your post worth a +1. My - 1 may have been a bit harsh and I do now regret it, but I have given you loads of +'s in the past (I think) so only thought it right to give you a neg too when you throw doubt on what we know to be true but saying "perhaps". I hate saying when I have given positive or negative rep - there is as reason it is confidential, and I hate this recent sycophantic trend of creepily posting "I gave you +1 for that"... it is so slimy and bloody irritating.

A soft enough polishing mitt with a light touch and an ultra fine polish made for the purpose still might worth looking at. That article suggests that people do regularly buff them selves up in latex. It actively recommends it. It must be a common thing.

Maybe you could polish the suit up whilst someone else is wearing it... might add to the fun. lol.

I was going to have a search for surface treatments later - you beat me to it. I did wonder if it had been treated or polished... it should be able to be re treated to re-attain the shine.

Some rubbers are quite soft and do scuff easily.. I would imagine it is a trade off with flexibility and softness. I would also imagine that if it is going to be used for an item of clothing (a skirt, trousers, gimp mask etc) then it might need to be soft for comfort of wear. Maybe they have gone for a softer feel for comfort but have traded off some scratch resistance. I have a sheet of natural latex right here in front of me. I have just tried it - I can scuff and mark it with the pads of my fingers just by pressing on it and rubbing. This is pretty hard latex too as it is used as a buffer/bush in a high stress engineering application. Is it possible to 'polish' the marks off again?

I've always looked at dy/dx to be "The change in the value of y for a change in the value of x" - like a gradient. It is about changes in one value with respect to another. For 2 given values of x we just work out y in each case and subtract, but dy/dx as f'(x) gives a algebraic relation. Sorry - I know that isn't a text book definition and may not be what you are looking for, but I think it really is just as simple as that.