HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: Tony Lezard <tony@mantis.co.uk>
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.science
Subject: Re: Shell Game (Dixie cups work too)
Date: Tue, 15 Dec 92 11:37:12 GMT
Distribution: world
Organization: Mantis Consultants, Cambridge. UK.

unknown@apple.com (Matt Ackeret) writes:

> >Should the player switch to the other cup or stay pat?
> >What are the odds?
> 
> AAAAH! The Monty Hall/Marilyn Vos Savant problem comes up again! It's
> become the Craig Shergold of puzzles..

Yeah. The only other contender I can think of is the old "Continue this
series: 1, 11, 21, 1211, 111221, 312211,..." puzzle.

N.B. This is not an invitation to waste net.bandwidth and post the
solution or requests for it! If you really haven't seen this before,
work it out yourself or have a look at the rec.puzzles FAQ.

--
Tony Lezard IS tony@mantis.co.uk OR tony%mantis.co.uk@uknet.ac.uk OR things
like tony%uk.co.mantis@uk.ac.nsfnet-relay OR (last resort) arl10@phx.cam.ac.uk
      "The two most common things on Earth are hydrogen and stupidity."
              -- Geoff Miller (geoffm@purplehaze.Corp.Sun.COM)

Newsgroups: alt.folklore.science
From: vhalkka@klaava.Helsinki.FI (Vesa Halkka)
Subject: Re: Electric Field Question
Organization: University of Helsinki
Date: Sat, 12 Dec 1992 23:36:19 GMT

In <kjR=tY@engin.umich.edu> pjswan@engin.umich.edu (Peter Swanson) writes:
>>
>Because more men used to wear wristwatches with radium dials on
>the left arm?

They really radiate, I got my film dosimeter to the alarm limit
when I had an old clock and a dosimeter in the same pocket for
some days..

--
Vesa Halkka                       -O___/ 
University of Helsinki CC:         (  /   	 vhalkka@helsinki.fi 
Centre for scientific computing:  ~~~~~  	 vhalkka@csc.fi




Newsgroups: alt.folklore.science
From: mayor@ee.umanitoba.ca (Cam "You didn't see me!" Mayor)
Subject: Re: Non-Relflecting object
Reply-To: mayor@ee.umanitoba.ca
Organization: Elect & Comp Engineering, U of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba,Canada
Date: Thu, 17 Dec 1992 22:25:00 GMT

In article 18@milo.ub.com, dwarner@milo.ub.com (Dave Warner) writes:
>
>Okay, so suppose the existance of an object that does not emit or reflect 
>anything in the visual spectrum.  The object is not transparent or 
>translucent.  Let the object assume the mass and dimensions of a 4 x 8 sheet 
>of marine plywood.
>
>What does it look like?
>

It is black, like my heart.

:-)
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.science
From: jc@optimla.aimla.com (John VanHoozer)
Subject: Re: Wrist cancer from watch (was Re: Electric Field Question)
Organization: OptImage Interactive Services Co., L.P.
Date: Fri, 11 Dec 1992 15:35:39 GMT

In article <1992Dec9.021249.201@gems.vcu.edu>, hleaves@gems.vcu.edu writes:
|> In article <PETER.92Dec3132059@cancun.icad.com>, peter@icad.com (Peter Masters) writes:
|> > In article <2DEC199216372847@rover.uchicago.edu> frank@rover.uchicago.edu (Frank - Hardware Hacker - Borger) writes:
|> > 
|> >    In article <2DEC199211141705@rosie.uh.edu>, st1rl@rosie.uh.edu writes...
|> > 
|> > 	   To give you an idea of how minute the differences are, I hust heard
|> > 	   this today in conference.
|> > 
|> > 	   Men have a statistically significant greater incidence of skin cancer
|> > 	   on the left arm, while women have the same for the right arm. Guess why.
|> > 
|> > Because more men wear their wristwatches on the left arm.  Low level
|> > EMF.
|> > 
|> > Peter Masters
|> > peter@icad.com
|> 
|> No way!!!! Sample size please?
|> 

Sorry folks,  missed the original post...  

I think that you'll find that the increased incidence of cancer can be
traced to the fact that many men like to rest a bent elbow on the window
sill of their cars while driving.  The cancer and high rate of hearing loss
among truck drivers has been known for years.


				jc

-- 
___________________________________________________________________________
John C. VanHoozer			     |
OptImage Interactive Services Company, L.P.  |  uunet!{optimage,aimla}!jc
11040 Santa Monica Blvd., Suite #300	     |  Fax:  (310)445-5720
Los Angeles, Ca. 90025			     |  Phone:(310) 445-5721
___________________________________________________________________________
Disclaimer:
   Opinions expressed are mine alone.

My wife is going back to school to study icthyphrenology...  what
ever that is.
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.science
From: markm@bigfoot.sps.mot.com (Mark Monninger)
Subject: Re: Full moon and tides
Reply-To: rapw20@email.sps.mot.com
Organization: SPS
Date: Mon, 14 Dec 1992 21:56:53 GMT

Thanks to all who responded to my post regarding full moons and high  
tides. If I had thought about it a little more I would have realized why  
it is indeeed the case. I guess you'd expect questions like that from a  
guy who lives in the Arizona desert...

Mark
From: carl@SOL1.GPS.CALTECH.EDU (Carl J Lydick)
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.science
Subject: Re: Full moon and tides
Date: 19 Dec 1992 13:34:31 GMT
Organization: HST Wide Field/Planetary Camera
Distribution: world
Reply-To: carl@SOL1.GPS.CALTECH.EDU
NNTP-Posting-Host: sol1.gps.caltech.edu

In article <BzFDCt.KFH@ccu.umanitoba.ca>, mayor@ee.umanitoba.ca (Cam "You didn't see me!" Mayor) writes:
>In article 1gigbeINNk69@gap.caltech.edu, carl@SOL1.GPS.CALTECH.EDU (Carl J Lydick) writes:
>>
>>The moon is not the sole source of tides.  The tidal effects of the sun are
>>also significant.  During new and full moons, the tidal effects of the sun and
>>the moon reinforce each other.  Hence higher tides during new and full moons,
>>ceteris paribus.
>
>During the new moon, the moon is on the same side of the earth as the sun.  During
>full moon, the moon is on the OPPOSITE side of the earth as the sun.  So shouldn't
>the gravitational tugs oppose each other during full moon and reinforce each other
>during the new moon only?
>
>I think so.  Maybe I'm wrong.  Think about it.

Sorry, you are wrong.  On the near side, we've got the water that's closer than
average to the moon, so there's stronger gravitational attraction, which pulls
things closer to the moon, and we get a high tide.  On the far side, there's
less gravitational attraction from the moon, so things are a bit further from
the moon than they would be if the gravitational attraction were uniform, so
we once again have a high tide.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Carl J Lydick | INTERnet: CARL@SOL1.GPS.CALTECH.EDU | NSI/HEPnet: SOL1::CARL

Disclaimer:  Hey, I understand VAXen and VMS.  That's what I get paid for.  My
understanding of astronomy is purely at the amateur level (or below).  So
unless what I'm saying is directly related to VAX/VMS, don't hold me or my
organization responsible for it.  If it IS related to VAX/VMS, you can try to
hold me responsible for it, but my organization had nothing to do with it.
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.science
From: saj@chinet.chi.il.us (Stephen Jacobs)
Subject: Re: Long hair causes boldness???
Keywords: hair, long, gravitypull, boldness
Organization: Chinet - Public Access UNIX
Date: Thu, 17 Dec 1992 14:59:02 GMT

In article <8026@news.duke.edu> dkelly@bio3.acpub.duke.edu (Dianne Kelly) writes:
(everything but .sig deleted)
>							
>						Diane "down to my waist" Kelly
>						Duke Zoo.

Some new science folklore
                                       Steve
From: ags@seaman.cc.purdue.edu (Dave Seaman)
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.science
Subject: Re: Monty Hall/Shell Game..
Date: 20 Dec 92 18:33:32 GMT
Organization: Purdue University

In article <X382VB1w164w@perseus.spk.wa.us> don@perseus.spk.wa.us (Donald Byrne) writes:
 [Argues that there are only two possibilities, a goat or a car.]
>So unless I'm not seeing the game properly it seems to me the 
>final results should be 50%.
 
 What are the odds that the sun will rise tomorrow?

 There are only two possibilities. Either the sun will rise tomorrow, or it
 won't. Therefore, the probability that the sun will rise tomorrow must be 50%,
 right?

>     Now explain why all of you say 66% of a chanch if he changes to the 
>other one of the remaining two??

There is a 1/3 chance of choosing the car from the original three doors.
Whenever this happens, you lose by switching.

There is a 2/3 chance of choosing a goat from the original three doors.
Whenever this happens, you win by switching.

--
Dave Seaman
ags@seaman.cc.purdue.edu
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.science
From: dwarner@milo.ub.com (Dave Warner)
Subject: Non-Relflecting object
Organization: Ungermann-Bass
Date: Mon, 14 Dec 1992 06:16:16 GMT


Okay, so suppose the existance of an object that does not emit or reflect 
anything in the visual spectrum.  The object is not transparent or 
translucent.  Let the object assume the mass and dimensions of a 4 x 8 sheet 
of marine plywood.

What does it look like?



-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dave Warner                              The opinions expressed herin are
Sr. Product Support Engineer             most certainly my own original
Ungermann-Bass, Inc.                     thoughts, (whether plagiarized or
                                         not) and are not likely to be
dwarner@milo.UB.com                      shared by my employer (or anyone
                                         else for that matter).

                    "Rub her feet"   - Lazarus Long
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.science
From: parson_r@cubldr.colorado.edu (Robert Parson)
Subject: Re: Avogadro Number
Organization: University of Colorado, Boulder
Date: Sun, 13 Dec 1992 20:37:55 GMT

In article <1992Dec13.064204.17181@news.columbia.edu>, jml12@cunixa.cc.columbia.edu (Jonathan M Lennox) writes:
> 
>   I believe that for a significant length of time, the value of
> Avogadro's number was not in fact known, so chemists just used the
> number of moles they had without worrying about how many particles
> this represented (as there was no way of finding this out.)
> 

 Yes indeed, Avogadro didn't know his own number!

I believe that Avogadro's number was first determined by Perrin in~1920,
 using Einstein's theory of Brownian motion.

Newsgroups: alt.folklore.science
From: mayor@ee.umanitoba.ca (Cam "You didn't see me!" Mayor)
Subject: Mirror Mirror
Keywords: mirror 
Reply-To: mayor@ee.umanitoba.ca
Organization: Elect & Comp Engineering, U of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba,Canada
Date: Tue, 15 Dec 1992 04:40:31 GMT

I like this mirror thread.  Everybody (including myself) seems to be posting with
such conviction that they know the answer.  I found that even though i thought i
had the *exact* solution, i still made a few fundamental boobs.  good!  I like
finding out when i see the world backwards (pun intended).

Perhaps we should ask the bearded Spock.

cam
From: carl@SOL1.GPS.CALTECH.EDU (Carl J Lydick)
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.science
Subject: Re: Hot Water flow mystery.
Date: 15 Dec 1992 19:28:20 GMT
Organization: HST Wide Field/Planetary Camera
Distribution: world
Reply-To: carl@SOL1.GPS.CALTECH.EDU
NNTP-Posting-Host: sol1.gps.caltech.edu

In article <1992Dec14.214841.4240@dbsun.uucp>, check@dbsun.uucp (checkett) writes:
>I have a question that bothers me every morning. I wake up and go to the john
>to have a shave and turn on the hot water full blast. Over the next 20-30
>seconds the water temperature goes from freezing to quite hot as desired. 
>The problem is that the flow rate of the water drops off as the temp goes up. 
>If I don't touch the faucet the flow nearly stops. What is happening? 
>I assume it has something to do with the expansion/contraction of the pipes 
>in response to the temp.

That's what's happening.  The washer in the valve is expanding.

>One more thing, the pipes start to scream as the water gets hotter but if
>I increase the flow by turning the knob the noise disappears.

When the gap between the washer and the valve seat is just large enough, the
whole system acts rather like the woodwind instrument known as a recorder.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Carl J Lydick | INTERnet: CARL@SOL1.GPS.CALTECH.EDU | NSI/HEPnet: SOL1::CARL

Disclaimer:  Hey, I understand VAXen and VMS.  That's what I get paid for.  My
understanding of astronomy is purely at the amateur level (or below).  So
unless what I'm saying is directly related to VAX/VMS, don't hold me or my
organization responsible for it.  If it IS related to VAX/VMS, you can try to
hold me responsible for it, but my organization had nothing to do with it.
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.science
From: draper@ais.org (Patrick Draper)
Subject: Re: Car Batteries die in the Winter - Why?
Organization: UMCC
Date: Sun, 13 Dec 1992 20:40:22 GMT

In article <Bz7EzH.9xq.1@cs.cmu.edu> redmond+@cs.cmu.edu (Redmond English) writes:
>
>Hello,
>
>  My car battery just up and died the other day.  I have been
>informed that this happens a lot in the winter, but I can't
>think of any reasonable explanation.
>
>  Any ideas?
>
>                             Red/.

Mine died last week too... strange.

In cold weather chemical processes generally proceed at a slower rate. A
marginal battery in warm weather might not crank out enough juice to turn an
engine over in cold weather.

My battery had crusty deposits on the battery posts. The cold snap last week
was probably enough to contract the battery posts away from the wires.


------------------////////////////////\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\------------------
| Patrick Draper-ZBT       Disclaimer:  I can't control my fingers,        |
| draper@umcc.ais.org                   I can't control my toes! - Ramones |
| University of Michigan Computer Club                                     |
NO CARRIER                     We are a nation of laws, not people         |
------------------\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\////////////////////------------------
From: grp@Unify.com (Greg Pasquariello)
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.science
Subject: Re: Full moon and tides
Date: 16 Dec 92 23:12:11 GMT
Distribution: usa
Organization: Unify Corporation (Sacramento)

In article <1992Dec14.153154.22191@newsgate.sps.mot.com>, markm@bigfoot.sps.mot.com (Mark Monninger) writes:
> 
> Over the weekend, I heard a network news commentator say that high winds  
> and a full moon caused (or made worse) the higher-than-usual tide that  
> caused so much damage along the northeast coast. What does a full moon  
> have to do with it? I find it hard to believe that a full moon has any  
> effect on the tides. The mass of the moon, and hence its gravitational  
> pull on the ocean doesn't change, nor does its distance from the earth (at  
> least not because the moon is full). The only thing that really changes is  
> that we on earth can see more of the moon. Is this an urban legend or  
> what?


I never know whether questions in this group are legit or not.  Feh.  On
the assumption that this one is...

The moon is (mostly) what causes high tides.  Picture the following... as
the moon sweeps around the earth, its gravitational pull tugs at the earth.
When over water, a swell develops where the pull is strongest (i.e. the
water is being "pulled" toward the moon).  High tide is the swell approaching
shore.


> 
> Mark

-- 

--
Greg Pasquariello   	grp@unify.com 	        I've trained my chia pet to use
Unify Corporation	   or			my clapper...
(916) 928-6258	    ...!uunet!unify!grp
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.science
Subject: Re: Mirror Mirror
From: leb@violet.ccit.arizona.edu (BASEL, LESLIE)
Date: 16 Dec 1992 21:33 MST  
Distribution: world,local
Organization: University of Arizona
Keywords: mirror
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.41    

In article <BzAABK.EL2@ccu.umanitoba.ca>, mayor@ee.umanitoba.ca writes...
>I like this mirror thread.  Everybody (including myself) seems to be posting with
>such conviction that they know the answer.  I found that even though i thought i
>had the *exact* solution, i still made a few fundamental boobs.  good!  I like
>finding out when i see the world backwards (pun intended).
> 
>Perhaps we should ask the bearded Spock.
> 
>cam 

Yes!  I remember an article in Scientific American in the late '70s or
early '80s that covered all (?) the different ways of reflecting, 
refracting, and (dare I say it) morphing the world visually.  As soon
as I can get away to a library I will extract some nice ideas from it.
I had a similar argument with a friend (about why left and right is
reversed but not up and down) around that time and I remember from 
that the article called what a standard mirror does as reversing 
handedness not actually reversing left and right. I will post more
after I find the article again.

Rodger Coghlan
From: moroney@world.std.com (Michael Moroney)
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.science
Subject: Re: Monty Hall/Shell Game..
Date: 20 Dec 92 17:46:17 GMT
Organization: The World Public Access UNIX, Brookline, MA

don@perseus.spk.wa.us (Donald Byrne) writes:

>So unless I'm not seeing the game properly it seems to me the 
>final results should be 50%.
>     Now explain why all of you say 66% of a chanch if he changes to the 
>other one of the remaining two??
>     I remain confused??

The initial odds that you guessed right are 33%, as your first guess is
random.  That means there's a 67% chance the prize is between one of the
other 2 doors.  Now Monty always reveals a "goat" door, so this gives you
*new* information, the prize is not behind the "goat" door he reveals.  Since
your initial guess is still 33% at being correct (revealing the goat does
NOT tell you anything about your door as Monty can *always* reveal a goat)
this means the remaining door is 67% at being correct.

Or change the rules a little.  After you pick a door, Monty, instead of
revealing a "goat", offers a choice of switching your door for BOTH the other
doors, but you then have to give Monty a "goat".  Do you switch?

This actually works out to be the same game, just described differently.

-Mike
From: Tony Lezard <tony@mantis.co.uk>
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.science
Subject: Re: Full moon and tides
Date: Fri, 18 Dec 92 15:22:43 GMT
Distribution: world
Organization: Mantis Consultants, Cambridge. UK.

mayor@ee.umanitoba.ca (Cam "You didn't see me!" Mayor) writes:

[ Reformatted to < 80 columns; Tsk! ]

> During the new moon, the moon is on the same side of the earth as the
> sun.  During full moon, the moon is on the OPPOSITE side of the
> earth as the sun.  So shouldn 't the gravitational tugs oppose each
> other during full moon and reinforce each other during the new moon
> only?
>
> I think so.  Maybe I'm wrong.  Think about it.

My understanding is that tidal forces are a second order effect.
Ignore the Sun for the moment and consider the Earth as a sphere and
the moon as a point mass located (of course) at its centre of
gravity.

Although the Earth will indeed experience the pull of the moon, the
earth/moon are in free fall about each other and, like astronauts in
orbit, don't actually "feel" any force.

However, since gravity weakens as you get further away, the force at
the side of the earth farthest away from the moon will be slightly
less than the force on the side close to the moon and this will be
felt as a force acting as if to "stretch" the earth along the
earth-moon axis.

Meanwhile, on the sides perpendicular to the direction of the moon,
there will be a slight inward force since the moon is not at infinity
and so the direction of the force is not quite parallel to the line
joining the *centre* of the earth to the moon (it's a point,
remember?) This force can be resolved into a large component parallel
to the aforementioned axis and a small inward component.

So the presence of the moon causes the earth to be both stretched at
the ends and squashed in the middle.

Needless to say, these forces are negligable on the scale of a human
being but under extreme conditions can be quite powerful. If you
jumped into a black hole you would be torn to shreds by the tidal
forces, in most cases before you got anywhere near the event horison.

--
Tony Lezard IS tony@mantis.co.uk OR tony%mantis.co.uk@uknet.ac.uk OR things
like tony%uk.co.mantis@uk.ac.nsfnet-relay OR (last resort) arl10@phx.cam.ac.uk
      "The two most common things on Earth are hydrogen and stupidity."
              -- Geoff Miller (geoffm@purplehaze.Corp.Sun.COM)

Organization: Junior, Math/Computer Science, Carnegie Mellon, Pittsburgh, PA
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.science
Date: Sat, 12 Dec 1992 21:01:50 -0500 
From: "Stephen M. Lacy" <sl31+@andrew.cmu.edu>
Subject: Re: Shell Game (Dixie cups work too)

Excerpts from netnews.alt.folklore.science: 11-Dec-92 Shell Game (Dixie
cups work.. by checkett@dbsun.uucp 
> Here's the questions:
> Should the player switch to the other cup or stay pat?
> What are the odds?

HAVE YOU NOT HEARD OF THIS PROBLEM BEFORE!  Gawd, there was an entire
multi-million television game show based exactly on this proposiiton!
(The Monty Hall show, if you couldn't remember)  The correct answer (I
believe) is that you definately want to switch no matter what.  The odds
are in your favor to some non-significant amount.  I think its something
like 66% win if you switch, but I forget the numbers.  

Steve


"I can't understand what makes a man hate another man, help me
understand." -Depeche Mode
From: steve.crabtree@synapse.org (Steve Crabtree) 
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.science
Subject: Re: Full moon and tides
Date: 18 Dec 92 20:33:00 GMT
Distribution: world
Organization: SYNAPSE BBS - GATINEAU, QUEBEC - 819-561-4321
Reply-To: steve.crabtree@synapse.org (Steve Crabtree) 

To: alt.folklore.science
From: steve.crabtree@synapse.org

mayor@ee.umanitoba.ca writes:

M(> In article 1gigbeINNk69@gap.caltech.edu, carl@SOL1.GPS.CALTECH.EDU
M(> (Carl J Lydick) writes:

M(> >The moon is not the sole source of tides.  The tidal effects of
M(> >the sun are also significant.  During new and full moons, the
M(> >tidal effects of the sun and the moon reinforce each other.
M(> >Hence higher tides during new and full moons, ceteris paribus.

M(> During the new moon, the moon is on the same side of the earth as
M(> the sun.  During full moon, the moon is on the OPPOSITE side of
M(> earth as the sun. So shouldn't the gravitational tugs oppose each
M(> other during full moon and reinforce each other during the new
M(> moon only?

M(> I think so.  Maybe I'm wrong.  Think about it.

The reason I don't think this is so is that there are two raised
humps of water on the earth's surface, one facing the moon (offset by
effects of the earth's rotation) and one on the opposite side. This
gives the normal two high tides per day (roughly).

When I first thought about this, it gave me some trouble until I
realized that the earth-moon system does not revolve around the
earths centre, but around it's common centre of gravity.

This means that water on the far side of the centre of gravity
experiences a centrifugal pseudo-force which causes it to rise up on
the side facing away from the moon.

Similarly, the earth-sun system revolves around a common centre of
gravity which similarly creates a hump on the far side of the earth in
addition to a hump caused by the differential gravitational force on
the side facing the sun.

Clearly either the "gravitational attraction" humps or the
"centrifugal" humps can add together and therefore the sun and moon
should cause greater tides together when they line up on opposite
sides of the earth or on the same side.

One thing I've never tried to work out is whether the centrifugal hump
and the gravitational hump are the same size, and further, if they
are, whether they have to be or whether it's coincidence. I know from
personal experience (living by the banks of a tidal river) that they
are approximately equal.
                                                                                        
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.science