HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: dkmiller@unixg.ubc.ca (Derek K. Miller)
Subject: Re: why the moon/sun looks bigger -new expl.
Organization: University of British Columbia, Vancouver, B.C., Canada
Date: Wed, 19 Aug 1992 20:30:31 GMT

In article <l70nb341@csv.warwick.ac.uk> csuah@warwick.ac.uk (~WISP at CU~) writes:
>In article <1992Aug18.183038.23505@unixg.ubc.ca> dkmiller@unixg.ubc.ca (Derek K. Miller) writes:
>>Uh, there's an easy way to test this. Stick your arm out and cover the moon
>>with your thumb. You can. You can also do the same with it over your head.
>>In fact, try it with the sun at midday. No photos necessary. And we know
>>that the Dave and Carrie Theorem is false.
>
>This test is worthless (a new motto for afs???). Your thumb subtends a greater
>angle when held over your head than when held straight out from your body
>parallel to the ground, simply because it's closer to your eyes. Your arm
>is the same length in either position, of course, but because your shoulder
>joint is below your eyes, raising your arm over your head brings your thumb
>closer to your eyes, by a matter of inches...
>
>What does this mean? Absolutely nothing. I just can't resist sticking my
>oar in...

It works fine if you hunch up your sholder so you're looking along the edge 
of your arm at your thumb, then keep your shoulder in a similar position
as you move your arm up.

And the difference in subtended angle of your thumb even with an un-hunched
shoulder is much smaller than the perceived difference in size of the moon
or sun.

Hey, you wanted to be picky...

      :=:=> Derek K. Miller                 dkmiller@unixg.ubc.ca
      Researcher, Alma Mater Society        thegrodd@tz.ucs.sfu.ca
      University of British Columbia, Canada
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.science
Subject: more on dowsing...
From: phil@hyphen.equinox.gen.nz (phil stuart-jones)
Date: 19 Aug 92 22:46:48 +1200
Reply-To: phil@hyphen.equinox.gen.nz
Organization: home
X-Newsreader: Tin 1.1 PL4

My copy of the Concise Oxford Dictionary (seventh edition) states (in
part and allowing for inability to show accents, etc. :-);

divine (2) v.t. discover by inspiration, magic, intuition, or guessing;

dowse (2) v.i. search for hidden water or minerals with forked twig (...) 
which dips suddenly when held over the right spot...

Now, I don't care what you call it (and I'm not game to suggest anything)
but when I hold a couple of lengths of wire out in front of me (`number
8', straightened coat hangers, whatever) I can detect the presence of a
pipe running across under the surface of a lawn or bare ground.  The pipe
can be up to 300 mm down (I haven't tried anything deeper) and doesn't
*need* to have *running* water in it.  I've found metal pipes, clay
pipes, and a plastic garden hose this way.

I've shown others what to do and it has worked for them too.  Most of
these people tend to be sceptical before they try but have to admit there
is definitely something happening which is beyond their deliberate
actions.

If someone is prepared to fly me over to the US I'll try to do the same
thing over there (it probably doesn't work in the northern hemisphere :-)
but I don't guarantee any results.  All I can say is that it has worked
for me so far, and it has worked for most of the people I have persuaded
to try it.  I don't have any idea what forces are involved and I'm only
mildly interested in finding out - I simply find it a handy method of
finding pipes when I'm not sure where they are.

If all you lot are trying to do is wind each other up with personal
abuse, why don't you do it in e-mail and save the rest of us from the
wasted bandwidth?

phil out

WARNING:  .sig under consideration
From: ejohnso@ccu.umanitoba.ca (Eric Johnson)
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.science
Subject: Re: why the moon/sun looks bigger -new expl.
Date: 18 Aug 92 21:20:53 GMT
Organization: University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada

In <1992Aug18.183038.23505@unixg.ubc.ca> dkmiller@unixg.ubc.ca (Derek K. Miller) writes:

>Uh, there's an easy way to test this. Stick your arm out and cover the moon 
>with your thumb. You can. You can also do the same with it over your head.
>In fact, try it with the sun at midday. No photos necessary. And we know
>that the Dave and Carrie Theorem is false.

Another version of this is to hold a key at arms length and sight the Moon
through the keyhole.  Assuming a typical key, and a round hole, the Moon
should just fit inside.


-- 
	Eric Johnson	         |  Commit random acts of kindness
	ejohnso@ccu.umanitoba.ca |        	and
"The Johnsons are taking over."  |        senseless beauty.
From: gfritz@sage.cc.purdue.edu ("Happy Fun Ball")
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.science
Subject: Re: Microwaved light bulb
Date: 15 Aug 92 14:45:47 GMT
Organization: Purdue University Computing Center

I can't remember if this was the thread where someone posted about putting
compact discs in a microwave, but I thought I'd post a note of thanks to
whoever did.  It was one of the neatest things I've ever seen.  Anyone
interested in making some really cool CD-decorations, take any CD that you
never want to hear again (mine was a Samantha Fox CD) and place it shiny side
up in your microwave.  Cook onigh for 5 seconds.  Really cool!

Geoff
--
 ==============================================================================
 || "Maybe its imaginary, I'd like to know. ||            sage.cc.purdue.edu ||
 ||  What's the world coming to, and where  || gfritz @--(       or          ||
 ||    will it go?" -- Kirsty MacColl       ||            mn.ecn.purdue.edu  ||
 ==============================================================================
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.science
From: wb8foz@skybridge.SCL.CWRU.Edu (David Lesher)
Subject: Re: The dangers in microwaved food...
Reply-To: wb8foz@skybridge.scl.cwru.edu (David Lesher)
Organization: NRK Clinic for habitual NetNews abusers - Beltway Annex
Date: Sun, 23 Aug 92 15:42:33 GMT

There are serious healths in reading comp.risks...

--
A host is a host from coast to coast..wb8foz@skybridge.scl.cwru.edu
& no one will talk to a host that's close..........................
Unless the host (that isn't close).........................pob 1433
is busy, hung or dead....................................20915-1433
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.science
Subject: Re: Best hangover cure
From: dayrton@eagle.wesleyan.edu
Date: 13 Aug 92 21:55:20 EDT
Organization: Wesleyan University

In article <h9snbc0b@csv.warwick.ac.uk>, csuah@warwick.ac.uk (~WISP at CU~) writes:


> The normal saline worked much better, though I did have a damn' sore arm in
> the morning! BTW, don't try this one at home, folks: if the giving set gets
> detached from the cannula it IS possible to exsanguinate from a large vein in
> the arm...

Which is why you should use a #20 Jelco or smaller (Likely to clot before you
bleed out), and tape the thing securely.  Of course, if you are half lit 
while inserting it.....  <grin>
From: klaus@diku.dk (Klaus Ole Kristiansen)
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.science
Subject: Re: Water ionization via magnetism?
Date: 18 Aug 92 12:01:49 GMT
Organization: Department of Computer Science, U of Copenhagen

pashdown@javelin.sim.es.com (Pete Ashdown) writes:


>I remember many moons ago a blurb on the radio about replacing your costly
>water softener with a super-duper high power magnet.  It was supposed to do
>the same thing by just sitting on your pipes.

>Right now I live in an apartment that spits bricks out of the shower head.
>Even if the magnet would ionize 10% of the water, I would use it.  So is there
>any truth to this?

I heard about this in a science program in the radio. Some companies were
selling this machine to take the chalk out of your water. The water runs
through a box with a powerful magnet. Many users claimed that they had much
less chalk problems after installing this device.

Some scientists (probably from Teknologisk Institut, I don't remember) tested
this device. It works. A heater will get much less chack covering if the
water is first sent through one of these devices. But how does it work? Chalk
is not magnetic. One thing those devices had in common, other than the
magnet, was that the water was forced through a narrow opening. It seems that
that causes some of the dissolved chalk to form small, solid particles, which
does not stick to heaters. At the time of this radio program, they had not
yet tested the devices without the magnets.

A magnet will make the microscopic iron particles in the water come together
in larger clumps. The scientists had a theory that these serve as "seeds" for
the chalk particles.

Anyway, just placing a magnet next to your water pipe is not likely to
help.

Klaus O K
From: RMG@SLACVM.SLAC.STANFORD.EDU
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.science
Subject: Re: Water ionization via magnetism?
Date: 13 Aug 92 00:56:52 GMT
Organization: Stanford Linear Accelerator Center

I don't think that the magnet around the water pipe actually worked.  The
problem is Ca++ and CO3-- (Calcium +2 and Carbonate -2) ions already in the
water.  The Calcium ions combine with soap to form the dreaded "soap scum"
which is not very soluble in water.  There are some answers, but they take
the form of either; 1) using a detergent that doesn't react with calcium ions,
or 2) removing the calcium ions before the Tallowate- ions get to them.  There
are two ways to do that; 1) use ion exchange resins, as in a water softener,
or 2) use a chelating agent like EDTA that grabs the calcium+2 ions so fast
that the Tallowate- ions don't get a chance.  Many shampoos contain EDTA
(short for Ethylene Diamine Tetraacetic Acid) just to insure that they rinse
out well and don't leave a soap scum film on your hair.

I can't see how a magnet could stop Calcium+2 ions from flowing down the pipe
and into your shower.  If it did, where would they go?  Would they plug up the
pipe somehow?  Perhaps someone knows something about Calcium+2 ions that I
don't know, like how magnetic they are.  If a magnet will pick up chalk, then
maybe this thing will work.  Personally, I think that the magnet around the
pipe was a variation on a snake oil theme, and the only thing it really did
was make money for the producers of the "Infomercial" used to sell it.

Now, if you have chunks of magnetite or iron filings coming out of your shower,
then a magnet might just do the trick....

Bob     :-)

The usual disclaimers:  I am not speaking for the Stanford Linear Accelerator
Center, the DOE, or Stanford University.  I may not even be speaking for
myself!
From: keithd@bigguy.timeplex.com (Keith Dickinson)
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.science
Subject: Re: water after knock-out
Date: 21 Aug 92 09:08:00 GMT
Distribution: usa
Organization: Ascom Timeplex Inc.

In article <86540@netnews.upenn.edu> liangw@eniac.seas.upenn.edu (William Liang) writes:
>Is it true or is it a myth that when a person is unconscious after getting
>struck one can revive him/her by splashing water on his face?  I see this
>done all the time on movies and TV, but am not sure why it always work
>like magic.  One splash of water and the person will pop up like nothing
>has happened.

It works on the concept that a sudden shock will revive the person.  (this
is also the basis of slapping someone in the face).  In practice, I've found
that it doesn't work well unless the water is cold.  Warm water just gets
the person wet (unless they start coughing).

L8r G8r
 Keith
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|either my employer, my co-     | keithd@timeplex.com uunet!tix!keithd
|workers or reality in general! | Timeplex Customer Support (813) 530-9475
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: grante@aquarius.rosemount.com (Grant Edwards)
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.science
Subject: Re: Seriously, microwave health risks?
Date: 22 Aug 92 21:52:06 GMT
Reply-To: grante@aquarius.rosemount.com (Grant Edwards)
Distribution: alt
Organization: Rosemount, Inc.

betsys@cs.umb.edu (Elizabeth Schwartz) writes:
: One thing I have heard, and maybe you folks can shed some luminescence
: on this, is that one should wait 30 seconds after removing food from
: the microwave so that the microwaves can "settle down."
:   Do microwaves "bounce around" inside food for a while? Or, will food
: continue to heat up for a few seconds after the machine is stopped?
:   thanks, Betsy

It's probably to let the container de-pressurize if it had built up
any steam inside it -- you can get severe burns from the steam that
builds up inside a bowl wrapped tightly in plastic wrap if you open it
while it's under preassure.

--
Grant Edwards                                 |Yow!  Can I have an IMPULSE
Rosemount Inc.                                |ITEM instead?
                                              |
grante@aquarius.rosemount.com                 |
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.science
From: dkmiller@unixg.ubc.ca (Derek K. Miller)
Subject: Re: why the moon/sun looks bigger -new expl.
Organization: University of British Columbia, Vancouver, B.C., Canada
Date: Tue, 18 Aug 1992 18:30:38 GMT

In article <1321@uknet.ac.uk> tlg@uknet.ac.uk (Tim.Goodwin) writes:
>In article <uuefcmu@Unify.Com> ceb@dbrus.Unify.Com (Caroline E. Bryan) writes:
>>Nah.  Probably has a whole lot more to do with all the atmosphere between our
>>eyes and the sun/moon on the horizon distorting the size.  At least that's
>>what I remember from 8th-grade science class.
>
>I thought the whole point was that the angle subtended by the moon's
>diameter is the same, it just looks different.
>
>>Test of the Dave and Carrie Theorems:  photograph the moon at moonrise and
>>again at its apex.  If the photos show different sizes, then the Carrie
>>Theorem has evidence (the light reflected by the moon is as distorted for the
>>camera as it is for our eyes); if the photos show the same size, then the
>>Dave Theorem has evidence (the camera doesn't have a brain affected by tilt).
>
>I believe that the photographs will show the same size.  Has anyone
>tried this?  Be neat if someone could take the photographs, feed the
>results into a scanner, and post them here.

Uh, there's an easy way to test this. Stick your arm out and cover the moon 
with your thumb. You can. You can also do the same with it over your head.
In fact, try it with the sun at midday. No photos necessary. And we know
that the Dave and Carrie Theorem is false.

      :=:=> Derek K. Miller                 dkmiller@unixg.ubc.ca
      Researcher, Alma Mater Society        thegrodd@tz.ucs.sfu.ca
      University of British Columbia, Canada
From: frank@rover.uchicago.edu (Frank - Hardware Hacker - Borger)
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.science
Subject: Re: scientific explanation for divining rods?
Date: 20 Aug 92 16:40:00 GMT
Reply-To: frank@rover.uchicago.edu
Distribution: na
Organization: Joint Center for Radiation Therapy
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.41

In article <1992Aug20.012345.21043@u.washington.edu>, grimjack@milton.u.washington.edu (Leslie Basel) writes...
> 
>Some questions I have for the people who have done this successfully are:
> 
>1) How accurate were you in your detection: dead on (within vert. space ...

	Typically one would get an indication +/1 about 1 foot.

>   ... Did you know of the existence of the item
>   prior to looking for it?  ...

	No. Typically (was in college,) got a bunch of people to try it,
	going down the hall. Each person would not observe the others until
	after they had done their test. All that tried got same type of
	indications at the same point.

>   you did not have prior knowledge (did you dig for it, look it up on
>   structural drawings, etc)?  

	Afterward looked at drawings, popped down removable ceiling tiles.

>2) Did you try the same experiment with rods you knew would not work? Or
>   with rods disguised so you did not know if it was a 'working' or
>   non-'working' rod?  Will a rod of any material work or only specific
>   materials work?

	No, we never tried things like wood, etc.

   Frank R. Borger - Physicist    __       Internet:  Frank@rover.uchicago.edu
Michael Reese - Univ. of Chicago |___      Phone : 312-791-8075 fax : 567-7455
  Center for Radiation Therapy   | |_) _   
    2929 South Ellis Avenue        | \|_)  My uncle was the town drunk - and we
    Chicago, Illinois 60616           |_)  lived in Chicago. - George Gobel
From: paulr@syma.sussex.ac.uk (Paul Russell)
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.science
Subject: Re: Furlong/Firkin/Fortnight
Date: 12 Aug 92 14:17:41 GMT
Organization: University of Sussex

From article <11AUG199214262033@rover.uchicago.edu>, by frank@rover.uchicago.edu (Frank - Hardware Hacker - Borger):
> In article <1992Aug11.182847.1092@javelin.sim.es.com>, rspeirs@javelin.sim.es.com (Ron Speirs) writes...
>>In article <85862@netnews.upenn.edu> hedden@eniac.seas.upenn.edu (Jerry Hedden) writes:
>>>I am interested in obtaining information on the subject system of
> ..
>>measurement grew and evolved.  Furlong, firkin and fortnight are covered.
> 
> 	Interesting side note. fortnight is a viable time unit under Digital's
> 	VMS operating system, and one CUSP actually uses a "micro-fortnight."
> 	(N.B. a microfornight is approximately equal to 1 second.)
> 

1 microfortnight = 1.2096 seconds

Just thought you'd like to know... ;-)

//Paul

-- 
| Paul Russell              | "Some instructions have legal operation codes |
| Experimental Psychology   |  but try to perform nonsensical operations.   |
| Sussex University, Falmer |  These are called insane instructions."       |
| Brighton BN1 9QG, England |             -- Motorola DSP 56k User's Manual |
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.science
From: lasner@watsun.cc.columbia.edu (Charles Lasner)
Subject: Re: Microwaved light bulb
Reply-To: lasner@watsun.cc.columbia.edu (Charles Lasner)
Organization: Columbia University
Date: Mon, 17 Aug 1992 06:39:22 GMT

In article <1992Aug17.034822.5443@cco.caltech.edu> heathh@cco.caltech.edu (Heath Ian Hunnicutt) writes:
>I'm glad you liked it.
>
>Have you tried the Halogen car headlight yet?  Wear your welder's goggles...

Can someone explain the Halogen operating principles over and above the
conventional incandescant bulbs.  Also, I assume in the car case, this is
also the so-called "quart-iodine" type bulb, not some other.

Further, is the 110V variety such as the Syvania CapSylite using the same
principle or is there another effect at 110V as opposed to 12V?

cjl

Newsgroups: alt.folklore.science
From: carlf@panix.com (Carl Fink)
Subject: Re: scientific explanation for divining rods?
Date: Thu, 13 Aug 1992 01:48:52 GMT
Distribution: na
Organization: PANIX Public Access Unix, NYC

  For the record:  if you really believe that you can detect underground
or otherwise hidden metallic objects using bent wires (which colloquially
would be called "dowsing", although one correspondent restricts that word
to detection of water) then you should contact James Randi, who will gladly
award you a prize of $10,000 upon proof of this ability.

  Reminder:  Randi has tested quite a few dowsers before, and they have
universally failed under controlled conditions.

-- 
==============================================================================
Carl Fink             carlf@panix.com  or C.FINK4(GEnie)
  This signature designed to irritate the NSA:
CIA, FBI, TERROR, ASSASINATE, REVOLUTION, COMMUNISM, KKK, SUBERSIVE, NUCLEAR
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.science
From: chrstie@ccu.umanitoba.ca (William John M. Christie)
Subject: Re: Microwaved light bulb
Organization: University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada
Date: Mon, 17 Aug 1992 17:52:03 GMT


When you did this (microwaving a CD) did you also have something to absorb the
excess rad's or does the short exposure time not really hurt the magnetron?
-- 
==========================================================================
  Any opinions expressed above are usually made with some thought which   
  is my own and is not intended to represent the University in any way.
==========================================================================
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.science
From: govender@shannon.ee.wits.ac.za (Govender)
Subject: Re: Lightning and trees.
Organization: Electrical Engineering, University of the Witwatersrand
Date: 13 Aug 92 12:48:25 GMT



>>pjh@eng.cam.ac.uk (Philippa Hogben) writes:

>>>Why is it dangerous to shelter under a tree in a thunderstorm?

the followups to this question have all shown how dangerous the effects
of a lightning strike on a tree are; however these could apply to anything
that has been struck by lightning i.e. it is dangerous (and unpleasant)
to be near anything eg bus, windmill etc that has been struck by lightning.

to answer the lady's question, the reason why it is dangerous to shelter
under a tree in a thunderstorm is that trees, being more often than not 
the taller objects in the vicinity, are more susceptible to lightning strikes
than other shorter objects.this explains why thatched houses (in south 
africa, at least) have to be shielded from lightning by suitably tall
metal poles acting as lightning conductors.lightning bolts always seek the 
shortest electrical path to ground.

the safe thing to do in a thunderstorm is to lie flat on the ground, away
from any tall objects and preferably in a low lying area.

morgan govender
govender@shannon.ee.wits.ac.za
From: dheisler@CERIS.Purdue.EDU (Dave Heisler)
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.science
Subject: why the moon/sun looks bigger -new expl.
Date: 17 Aug 92 18:35:51 GMT
Organization: Center for Environmental and Regulatory Information Systems, Purdue University


   try this : the visual portion of the brain has gotten used
   to thinking that things higher up are 
   farther away. 

   The brain assists by (subconsciously) enlarging the
   (sun/moon) when it's low. While similarly when we
   tilt are heads up (higher, more verticle) the brain shifts the
   perceived image size
   to smaller. Our visual system is probably tied with the inner
   ear to sense head position.

   comments? flames ?
   dave
From: tlg@uknet.ac.uk (Tim.Goodwin)
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.science
Subject: Lightning and cars (was Re: Lightning and trees.)
Date: 21 Aug 92 16:48:43 GMT
Organization: UKnet

In article <Geoff.1jvk@equinox.gen.nz> Geoff@equinox.gen.nz
(Geoff Mccaughan) writes:
>RMG@SLACVM.SLAC.STANFORD.EDU writes:
>>I think that the safest place to be, should a thunderstorm happen to blow
>>your way, is to get into a car with a metal roof.  ...
>
>I wouldn't count on it...

QED (a second-rate science / technology television programme [note 1])
tried this.  They went to Germany (they said they couldn't find anyone
who'd let them do it in the UK) with a car [note 2] and a stuntman.  He
repeatedly drove the car under a device [note 2] which produced
impressive-looking arcs between it and the roof of the car, and the
bottom of the car and the ground.

1. Are there *any* good science programmes?
2. Anyone remember the details?

Tim.
-- 
perhaps if people had understood fork() better we | ; who am i
wouldn't have threads - Rob Pike.                 | uknet.ac.uk!tlg
From: rf@cl.cam.ac.uk (Robin Fairbairns)
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.science
Subject: Re: Lightning and trees.
Date: 14 Aug 92 12:17:56 GMT
Reply-To: rf@cl.cam.ac.uk (Robin Fairbairns)
Organization: U of Cambridge Comp Lab, UK

In article <govender.713710105@shannon> govender@shannon.ee.wits.ac.za (Govender) writes:
>[...]
>the safe thing to do in a thunderstorm is to lie flat on the ground, away
>from any tall objects and preferably in a low lying area.

Surely, if you're in a large flat area this is positivley _not_ the
sort of thing you want to indulge in.

If the area is flat, any place to strike is as good as any other.  By
lying down, you increase your cross section (as seen by Jove), and
hence increase your chance of getting hit.

Mind you, having come up with this gem, I'm inclined to think that
this implies that the only solution to thunderstorms is not to be
there in the first place.
--
Robin (dump Brian Kay) Fairbairns, using the facilities of the U of
Cambridge Computer Lab, for which permission is gratefully acknowledged.
[Wonderful what a few job offers can do for one's self-esteem :-]
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.science