Principia Discordia

Principia Discordia => Techmology and Scientism => High Weirdness => Topic started by: Prelate Diogenes Shandor on November 22, 2014, 05:00:19 AM

Title: The Annals Of Improbable Research
Post by: Prelate Diogenes Shandor on November 22, 2014, 05:00:19 AM
Have you ever heard of the magazine The Annals of Improbable Research (http://www.improbable.com/about/http://www.improbable.com/about/)?

They're a periodical about scientific discoveries that, while legitimate, is nonetheless bizarre, frivolous, weirdly specific, and/or in some way offensive.

They also give out yearly awards for such research (http://www.improbable.com/ig/winners/) (there's some really interesting ones among the winners for 2011)
Title: Re: The Annals Of Improbable Research
Post by: Mesozoic Mister Nigel on November 22, 2014, 05:16:05 AM
OK, so, serious question, here.

You seem to have been around, off and on, for quite a long time. You're probably not a kid, I don't think. So, what I'm confused by is that you seem to have exactly no idea who anyone on the board is, or what any of us are about, and now you are bringing up this thing which, while perhaps not everyone is familiar with it, has been kind of one of those "periodically circulates the web and is wildly popular" kinds of things for some time.

So I guess what I'm wondering, no offense, but is there something going on in your life that causes you to be completely tuned out/under a rock most of the time?
Title: Re: The Annals Of Improbable Research
Post by: Prelate Diogenes Shandor on November 22, 2014, 06:03:27 AM
I don't got out much due to a combination of anxiety, depression, and asperger's syndrome. And recently I've been having trouble sleeping with the result of me spending a lot more time posting on message boards; including some, such as this one, that I had otherwise more or less stopped posting on.

I think the topic is a little more justified than you give it credit for though. While the IgNobel Prizes themselves are pretty famous, the magazine that gives them out seems to be a lot less famous.
Title: Re: The Annals Of Improbable Research
Post by: rong on November 22, 2014, 10:02:33 AM
I absolutely loved this:

Electron Band Structure in Germanium, My Ass (http://www.improbable.com/airchives/paperair/volume7/v7i3/germanium-7-3.html)

but didn't get much out of the rest of the Annals.
Title: Re: The Annals Of Improbable Research
Post by: Mesozoic Mister Nigel on November 22, 2014, 02:44:34 PM
Quote from: rong on November 22, 2014, 10:02:33 AM
I absolutely loved this:

Electron Band Structure in Germanium, My Ass (http://www.improbable.com/airchives/paperair/volume7/v7i3/germanium-7-3.html)

but didn't get much out of the rest of the Annals.

A classic!
Title: Re: The Annals Of Improbable Research
Post by: Mesozoic Mister Nigel on November 22, 2014, 02:53:10 PM
Quote from: Prelate Diogenes Shandor on November 22, 2014, 06:03:27 AM
I don't got out much due to a combination of anxiety, depression, and asperger's syndrome. And recently I've been having trouble sleeping with the result of me spending a lot more time posting on message boards; including some, such as this one, that I had otherwise more or less stopped posting on.

I think the topic is a little more justified than you give it credit for though. While the IgNobel Prizes themselves are pretty famous, the magazine that gives them out seems to be a lot less famous.

OK. I was just wondering, because one of the gradual and ongoing developments here over the last many years here is various people getting assorted degrees in science and posting miscellaneous articles from there.

I wasn't sure if you just don't read the board, or if you have memory issues, or what the deal is. It's a little weird to have someone who seems to have been around for years to be like "HEY GUYS HAVE YOU EVER HEARD ABOUT [thing we've all talked about extensively from time to time]???" I think at least three people here have posted Electron Band Structure in Germanium, My Ass in the last year.

I guess if I were going to make one suggestion about posting here, it would be to try to learn who the other posting members are, and what their deal is. For example, who is Cain? What does he do? How about Twid? Why does LMNO seem to know a lot about quantum physics?

Knowing who the members of a board are and what they are doing with their lives can actually help save you from looking like an ass, and also may make you more socially appealing to everyone else.

Title: Re: The Annals Of Improbable Research
Post by: Reginald Ret on November 22, 2014, 05:21:40 PM
Nigel, ignorance is not a bad trait.
So PDS hasn't got the knowledge you would expect, where's the harm?

Did you suspect PDS of a 'stupid noob' troll?

Knowing everyone here cannot be a demand we make of members of this forum, we may wish everyone gets to know eachother but that is no reason to put the social pressure on.
Title: Re: The Annals Of Improbable Research
Post by: Reginald Ret on November 22, 2014, 05:28:12 PM
Also, this thread helped me find this:

QuotePUBLIC HEALTH PRIZE: Kasian Bhanganada, Tu Chayavatana, Chumporn Pongnumkul, Anunt Tonmukayakul, Piyasakol Sakolsatayadorn, Krit Komaratal, and Henry Wilde, for the medical techniques described in their report "Surgical Management of an Epidemic of Penile Amputations in Siam" — techniques which they recommend, except in cases where the amputated penis had been partially eaten by a duck. [THAILAND]
:lulz:
Title: Re: The Annals Of Improbable Research
Post by: Mesozoic Mister Nigel on November 22, 2014, 06:39:31 PM
Quote from: Reginald Ret (07/05/1983 - 06/11/2014) on November 22, 2014, 05:21:40 PM
Nigel, ignorance is not a bad trait.
So PDS hasn't got the knowledge you would expect, where's the harm?

Did you suspect PDS of a 'stupid noob' troll?

Knowing everyone here cannot be a demand we make of members of this forum, we may wish everyone gets to know eachother but that is no reason to put the social pressure on.

Oh, well I guess I'll let him go on rubbing everyone the wrong way and stop trying to facilitate a warmer response for him, since it's working so well for him so far.
Title: Re: The Annals Of Improbable Research
Post by: Prelate Diogenes Shandor on November 23, 2014, 04:10:28 AM
The ironic thing is that I actually did a forum search to see if this had been discussed before, and it only turned up a single ancillary mention of the magazine.

I think I accidentally ran a search of the High Weirdness subforum only, because I ran another search today and got significantly more hits; including a similar topic that I apparently started five and a half years ago. So I do apologize for posting nearly the same topic twice, but I legitimately did check into whether this was redundant with previous discussions.
Title: Re: The Annals Of Improbable Research
Post by: rong on November 23, 2014, 04:43:49 AM
Annal?
Title: Re: The Annals Of Improbable Research
Post by: Telarus on November 23, 2014, 06:06:18 AM
:spittake:
Title: Re: The Annals Of Improbable Research
Post by: Mesozoic Mister Nigel on November 23, 2014, 08:12:18 AM
Quote from: rong on November 23, 2014, 04:43:49 AM
Annal?

:mittens:
Title: Re: The Annals Of Improbable Research
Post by: Mesozoic Mister Nigel on November 23, 2014, 08:25:26 AM
Quote from: Prelate Diogenes Shandor on November 23, 2014, 04:10:28 AM
The ironic thing is that I actually did a forum search to see if this had been discussed before, and it only turned up a single ancillary mention of the magazine.

I think I accidentally ran a search of the High Weirdness subforum only, because I ran another search today and got significantly more hits; including a similar topic that I apparently started five and a half years ago. So I do apologize for posting nearly the same topic twice, but I legitimately did check into whether this was redundant with previous discussions.

The ironic thing might be that the most social board on the forum is frequently purged. It might also be that it is hard to search article links by parent publisher name. But actually I think that it is most likely that you are ignoring the important part of the message, which is that there are some methods that you can use when rejoining a forum after a long absence, other than bumping many old threads and replying to them and

actually, never mind. Fuck it. I'm too tired and have too much to do this week to try to swim upstream.
Title: Re: The Annals Of Improbable Research
Post by: Doktor Howl on November 24, 2014, 12:42:44 PM
Quote from: Reginald Ret (07/05/1983 - 06/11/2014) on November 22, 2014, 05:21:40 PM
ignorance is not a bad trait.

Did that just fall outta your face? 
Title: Re: The Annals Of Improbable Research
Post by: LMNO on November 24, 2014, 01:30:49 PM
In the most charitable light, he has a point; ignorance is not, in itself, morally wrong.  It's simply the lack of knowledge of something. 

Willfully ignorant, on the other hand....
Title: Re: The Annals Of Improbable Research
Post by: Doktor Howl on November 24, 2014, 02:07:16 PM
Quote from: LMNO, PhD (life continues) on November 24, 2014, 01:30:49 PM
In the most charitable light, he has a point; ignorance is not, in itself, morally wrong.  It's simply the lack of knowledge of something. 

Willfully ignorant, on the other hand....

Who said morally wrong?  He said "bad".  I had the thermostat on my car's engine go bad.  Doesn't mean I feel that it is going to hell.

Not that it could anyway, it is an Asian car (Japanese).
Title: Re: The Annals Of Improbable Research
Post by: LMNO on November 24, 2014, 03:01:13 PM
I was trying to rephrase without using the word in question. In the best light, ignorance by itself isn't necessarily bad.  Choosing to remain ignorant is, in my opinion.
Title: Re: The Annals Of Improbable Research
Post by: Mesozoic Mister Nigel on November 24, 2014, 03:02:13 PM
My Volvo's brake lights have stopped working, most likely due to a failed relay.

This is bad.

I could either try to fix it, or I could just drive around with no brake lights. Hmmmm, I wonder which would be more productive?
Title: Re: The Annals Of Improbable Research
Post by: LMNO on November 24, 2014, 03:10:36 PM
Either could be, depending on how you define "productive."

I mean, if you're trying to produce a nasty car crash, get behind the wheel, sister!
Title: Re: The Annals Of Improbable Research
Post by: Mesozoic Mister Nigel on November 24, 2014, 03:16:42 PM
Quote from: LMNO, PhD (life continues) on November 24, 2014, 03:10:36 PM
Either could be, depending on how you define "productive."

I mean, if you're trying to produce a nasty car crash, get behind the wheel, sister!

POINT.
Title: Re: The Annals Of Improbable Research
Post by: Doktor Howl on November 24, 2014, 04:11:20 PM
Quote from: LMNO, PhD (life continues) on November 24, 2014, 03:01:13 PM
In the best light, ignorance by itself isn't necessarily bad.

Spend a day at my place of work.   :kingmeh:
Title: Re: The Annals Of Improbable Research
Post by: LMNO on November 24, 2014, 04:32:54 PM
That's a spectacularly effective and convincing argument.
Title: Re: The Annals Of Improbable Research
Post by: Reginald Ret on November 24, 2014, 05:52:21 PM
Alright, alright. I give in.  :lol:

I'm stealing LMNO's version though: Ignorance is not, in itself, morally wrong.
It allows me to pretend that what I said wasn't wrong.
Title: Re: The Annals Of Improbable Research
Post by: Doktor Howl on November 24, 2014, 06:07:31 PM
It was explained to me today that low-volting a motor won't burn it up, it will just "make it go slower".

I kinda had one of those Mesozoic Nigel grins going on, and the fact that anyone got out alive is a testament to my kind & peaceful nature.
Title: Re: The Annals Of Improbable Research
Post by: LMNO on November 24, 2014, 07:11:13 PM
Ok, I'm not an engineer, but even I know that can't possibly be right.

:weary:
Title: Re: The Annals Of Improbable Research
Post by: Doktor Howl on November 24, 2014, 08:38:56 PM
Quote from: LMNO, PhD (life continues) on November 24, 2014, 07:11:13 PM
Ok, I'm not an engineer, but even I know that can't possibly be right.

:weary:

Lower voltage, amps go up.  Resistance follows amps, heat follows resistance, motor goes crispy.

Ohm's Law, 1st year apprentice shit. 

However, These People didn't do an apprenticeship.  The people in question have 1) chemistry and 2) marketing degrees.  Which means they're smarter and know everything, while we oafs step on our knuckles and make grunting and whistling noises.
Title: Re: The Annals Of Improbable Research
Post by: Reginald Ret on November 24, 2014, 08:55:06 PM
Quote from: Doktor Howl on November 24, 2014, 08:38:56 PM
Quote from: LMNO, PhD (life continues) on November 24, 2014, 07:11:13 PM
Ok, I'm not an engineer, but even I know that can't possibly be right.

:weary:

Lower voltage, amps go up.  Resistance follows amps, heat follows resistance, motor goes crispy.

Ohm's Law, 1st year apprentice shit. 

However, These People didn't do an apprenticeship.  The people in question have 1) chemistry and 2) marketing degrees.  Which means they're smarter and know everything, while we oafs step on our knuckles and make grunting and whistling noises.
I get the impression you don't have a lot of fans there.
Title: Re: The Annals Of Improbable Research
Post by: Doktor Howl on November 25, 2014, 12:07:06 AM
Quote from: Reginald Ret (07/05/1983 - 06/11/2014) on November 24, 2014, 08:55:06 PM
Quote from: Doktor Howl on November 24, 2014, 08:38:56 PM
Quote from: LMNO, PhD (life continues) on November 24, 2014, 07:11:13 PM
Ok, I'm not an engineer, but even I know that can't possibly be right.

:weary:

Lower voltage, amps go up.  Resistance follows amps, heat follows resistance, motor goes crispy.

Ohm's Law, 1st year apprentice shit. 

However, These People didn't do an apprenticeship.  The people in question have 1) chemistry and 2) marketing degrees.  Which means they're smarter and know everything, while we oafs step on our knuckles and make grunting and whistling noises.
I get the impression you don't have a lot of fans there.

I hate them and they hate me.  It works for everyone.   :lulz:
Title: Re: The Annals Of Improbable Research
Post by: Mesozoic Mister Nigel on November 25, 2014, 12:11:55 AM
Quote from: Doktor Howl on November 24, 2014, 06:07:31 PM
It was explained to me today that low-volting a motor won't burn it up, it will just "make it go slower".

I kinda had one of those Mesozoic Nigel grins going on, and the fact that anyone got out alive is a testament to my kind & peaceful nature.

Whaaaaat

:lulz: :lulz: :lulz:
Title: Re: The Annals Of Improbable Research
Post by: Doktor Howl on November 25, 2014, 01:01:10 AM
Quote from: Sexy St. Nigel on November 25, 2014, 12:11:55 AM
Quote from: Doktor Howl on November 24, 2014, 06:07:31 PM
It was explained to me today that low-volting a motor won't burn it up, it will just "make it go slower".

I kinda had one of those Mesozoic Nigel grins going on, and the fact that anyone got out alive is a testament to my kind & peaceful nature.

Whaaaaat

:lulz: :lulz: :lulz:

Which?  The ignorance of my coworkers or your smile?
Title: Re: The Annals Of Improbable Research
Post by: Mesozoic Mister Nigel on November 25, 2014, 06:31:39 AM
Quote from: Doktor Howl on November 25, 2014, 01:01:10 AM
Quote from: Sexy St. Nigel on November 25, 2014, 12:11:55 AM
Quote from: Doktor Howl on November 24, 2014, 06:07:31 PM
It was explained to me today that low-volting a motor won't burn it up, it will just "make it go slower".

I kinda had one of those Mesozoic Nigel grins going on, and the fact that anyone got out alive is a testament to my kind & peaceful nature.

Whaaaaat

:lulz: :lulz: :lulz:

Which?  The ignorance of my coworkers or your smile?

Your co-workers.

I rather like the bit about my smile.
Title: Re: The Annals Of Improbable Research
Post by: rong on November 25, 2014, 09:39:37 AM
I believe that is true of DC motors...
Title: Re: The Annals Of Improbable Research
Post by: Doktor Howl on November 25, 2014, 01:01:05 PM
Quote from: rong on November 25, 2014, 09:39:37 AM
I believe that is true of DC motors...

We don't have a single DC motor in the plant, and my coworkers aren't aware of their existence.
Title: Re: The Annals Of Improbable Research
Post by: Doktor Howl on November 25, 2014, 01:03:55 PM
Here's some stuff, Rong:  http://www.electrical4us.com/speed-control-of-dc-motor/

But we don't have those.  We have 3 phase t-frame motors.  Bog standard shit.  A few VFDs, which seem to be causing the confusion, as my colleagues are having trouble distinguishing between voltage and frequency.
Title: Re: The Annals Of Improbable Research
Post by: rong on November 25, 2014, 02:21:25 PM
yeah - we have almost exclusively 3 Phase AC motors and use VFD's where speed control is needed.  We do have a few DC motors in some high torque applications, I don't mess with them much, but they are also on drives (albeit not Frequency drives) - I thought they controlled speed by varying the field voltage, but maybe it is field current?  Honestly, as long as the motor does what I tell it to do, I don't really care how the controller gets it done.
Title: Re: The Annals Of Improbable Research
Post by: Doktor Howl on November 25, 2014, 02:49:23 PM
Quote from: rong on November 25, 2014, 02:21:25 PM
yeah - we have almost exclusively 3 Phase AC motors and use VFD's where speed control is needed.  We do have a few DC motors in some high torque applications, I don't mess with them much, but they are also on drives (albeit not Frequency drives) - I thought they controlled speed by varying the field voltage, but maybe it is field current?  Honestly, as long as the motor does what I tell it to do, I don't really care how the controller gets it done.

The link I posted shows how it's done on DC motors.

An inverter or VFD changes the frequency, which has the same effect but doesn't cause the amps to climb.
Title: Re: The Annals Of Improbable Research
Post by: Reginald Ret on November 26, 2014, 10:16:00 PM
Quote from: Doktor Howl on November 25, 2014, 12:07:06 AM
Quote from: Reginald Ret (07/05/1983 - 06/11/2014) on November 24, 2014, 08:55:06 PM
Quote from: Doktor Howl on November 24, 2014, 08:38:56 PM
Quote from: LMNO, PhD (life continues) on November 24, 2014, 07:11:13 PM
Ok, I'm not an engineer, but even I know that can't possibly be right.

:weary:

Lower voltage, amps go up.  Resistance follows amps, heat follows resistance, motor goes crispy.

Ohm's Law, 1st year apprentice shit. 

However, These People didn't do an apprenticeship.  The people in question have 1) chemistry and 2) marketing degrees.  Which means they're smarter and know everything, while we oafs step on our knuckles and make grunting and whistling noises.
I get the impression you don't have a lot of fans there.

I hate them and they hate me.  It works for everyone.   :lulz:
Heh, but I meant the cool kind of fans. The kind that make anything they focus on automatically cooler...
Hint hint, wink wink.
Title: Re: The Annals Of Improbable Research
Post by: Billiam Poster on May 12, 2015, 01:26:00 AM
Sorry i'm late, did someone say Annal?  :fnord:
Title: Re: The Annals Of Improbable Research
Post by: Doktor Howl on May 12, 2015, 01:45:42 AM
Quote from: Billiam Poster on May 12, 2015, 01:26:00 AM
Sorry i'm late, did someone say Annal?  :fnord:

You're gonna go far, kid.