Easy Questions?

[Sibling Chatty]

Depends on the 'depth' of the stuff...how long it has been there, etc.

I don't really remember anymore, as it has bees several years. (I've slept since then and I need retraining every time...)

[Griffin NoName]

No deeper than one finger side - there are actually two - one on each side of the finger - and I was putting the MS on both til I realised that would attract them both to both sides and cancel itself out

[Griffin NoName]

A question prompted by current TV news:

Why is advice given to go to one's GP surgery if suffering from symptoms of potential epidemic or pandemic illnesses etc.?

(at least this is always the advice given in the UK).

It makes no sense whatsoever to me to deliberately gather suspect people in waiting rooms full of other people who already have other illnesses etc.

Of course when we reach Alert Level Six we are told to stay home and die, which seems sensible.

Actually, if it were up to me, I'd tell anyone who may have any illness to avoid their GPs surgery altogether !

Please can someone provide the easy answer to this

[beagle]

I think the advice for this lot is to ring up and wait for somebody to throw some Tamiflu tied to a brick at you from the end of the drive.
And don't eat fajitas, drink, smoke or otherwise have fun (but that's standard NHS boilerplate advice). And under no circumstances do an internet search for Cytokine Storm. Unless you're over 50.

[Griffin NoName]

I just hope they use hand sanitiser on the boxes containing the Tamiflu.

[Griffin NoName]

Take several small and several medium size trials (randomised, blinded control group, ie pukka). They all have clear +ve outcomes (apparently siginificant although we know it isn't really as only large trials can have significant results).

Take large trials of the same thing - same rigour etc. This shows clearly there is no +ve outcome.

I understand the "science" behind why "large" is a total must but despite my now ancient qualification in statistics, I can't think how to express - in plain english using simplistic common terminology - why/how the +ve slides down to being non-significant. And for example, how would one answer a question such as : at what point does the sample size become "large enough" without using words that "the man in the street" would not need explaining? (Remember "the man in the street" does not know what the difference between mean and average is and actualy won't have heard of the mean as a word in any case; would probably understand probable, but never heard of probability.. etc).


YES I have been watching a documentary about homeopathy.  And isn't it strange that the larger (sample size) the trials the less effective homeopathy is shown to be, whereas the larger the "dilution" of the remedy the more effective it is.

[Sibling Zono (anon1mat0)]

Ok, I don't know if this really classify as an 'easy' question or if it should be under pets.

Why feeding animals brings a sense of comfort? Specific examples are people feeding wild pigeons, ducks, cats, etc. In my specific case, I do feel comfort and peace when my birds eat from my hand, plate, or in the dinning table (as opposed when they are eating their seeds on their cage).

[goat starer]

Ok, I don't know if this really classify as an 'easy' question or if it should be under pets.

Why feeding animals brings a sense of comfort? Specific examples are people feeding wild pigeons, ducks, cats, etc. In my specific case, I do feel comfort and peace when my birds eat from my hand, plate, or in the dinning table (as opposed when they are eating their seeds on their cage).

its because you know that secretly you are just fattening them up for the cooking pot! 

[Swatopluk]

More of a tech-question.

Does anybody here have an idea how to construct a purely mechanical XOR gate (preferably without springs involved).
It should function in the way of the sketch seen below. Alternatively the input pins could also rotate into position* instead of moving forward and back and the output pin could be at right angles to the input pins.

*pin wheel, cogwheel

[Aggie]

Remind me if you don't get an answer soon!  Need to puzzle this out. Looks reasonable. Could be done in theory with a balance and I think I can proceed along those lines.

[Swatopluk]

I know a partial solution but that would require an AND gate to be put behind and I did not solve that either.

[Aggie]

Is there a limit to complexity and/or type of moving parts? My first thought was sliding levers allowing a drop-through channel (to solve the problem, not fit the model).

I'm a junk-drawer tinkerer so I generally don't bother with anything that can't be done with simple tools and scrap materials.

Actually, any hints on what the output pin requirements are (needs to exert force, or simply needs to hang out there?) would help.  Also, is a horizontal configuration necessary? 

[Swatopluk]

Output pin should exert moderate force at least enough to trigger a stronger force exerter.
It should also work, if the parts are rather crude. If the whole thing would be 2x2 inches then 1 mm tolerance should still be sufficient. Input and output should not be on the same side, otherwise it doesn't matter much. No requirement for it to work in more than one position, i.e. it can use the direction of gravity as a part of its working mechanism (e.g. a weight that keeps Output=0 when the input pins are not engaged).

[Griffin NoName]

Toilet paper in the UK consists of two layers of paper. Why don't they make it from one thicker layer?

[Swatopluk]

Otherwhere it's even 3 or more layers.