Friday, June 30, 2017
Wednesday, June 28, 2017
Electro
It's taken me a long time, but I think I am finally beginning
to understand the various concepts related to electricity. And
I mean long, with voltage and current longstanding enemies since
High School, and wattage on a hairdryer a mysterious outsider.
Electrical current comes down to electrons speeding along a wire. Direct
current is a circuit that starts at the positive end of a battery and ends at the
negative end. The battery runs a chemical reaction which soaks up the incoming
electrons and makes them available anew at the positive end. This is the
voltage of the circuit, in volts.
Electrons, then, are not going at or near the speed of light in a vacuum. They are
met with resistance, which must be overcome. The load of the circuit is what offsets the
voltage. It can consist of resistance elements either in series or parallel. The
fundamental relationship between these concepts is Ohm's Law. The reference definition
is that given to the current, in amperes, which is a coulomb(electrons)-second.
V = iR
Resistors pace the circuit; they are weighing-ins, but the current runs through.There
are also capacitors which might store current for some time. The unit is the farad,
which is a coulomb per volt.
Voltage, then, equals current (in amperes) multiplied by resistance (in ohms). A coulomb
has so many electrons,(6.24 x 10^18 electrons, for a negative charge Coulomb)) and an
ampere is an available coulomb every second. Voltage is the derived notion of potential
difference between points on a wire.
So what about my hairdryer!?
p = Vi
The power made available to appliances is in watts, which are joules per second. A
joule, it will be remembered, is a unit of work or energy:(It is a newton-meter). The
more watts, the more work performed per unit of time. It is a measure of dissipation
of energy with respect to the circuit.
In point of fact, a hairdryer would not run on a direct circuit. A small light bulb would:
alternative current to come. Small hint: there is a transformer involved, which uses the
magnetic force around a coiled wire to transfer current to another coil.
source: Khan Academy, with back-up readings from Wikipedia.
* * *
In a direct circuit created by a battery, electrons are actually flowing from the negative pole
to the positive; but charge is still considered to move from positive to negative. (There are
circuits were it is a positive charge that moves).
The math works out the same, because electricity is a field concept, and voltage refers to
potential difference.
http://www.physics4kids.com/files/elec_intro.html
to understand the various concepts related to electricity. And
I mean long, with voltage and current longstanding enemies since
High School, and wattage on a hairdryer a mysterious outsider.
Electrical current comes down to electrons speeding along a wire. Direct
current is a circuit that starts at the positive end of a battery and ends at the
negative end. The battery runs a chemical reaction which soaks up the incoming
electrons and makes them available anew at the positive end. This is the
voltage of the circuit, in volts.
Electrons, then, are not going at or near the speed of light in a vacuum. They are
met with resistance, which must be overcome. The load of the circuit is what offsets the
voltage. It can consist of resistance elements either in series or parallel. The
fundamental relationship between these concepts is Ohm's Law. The reference definition
is that given to the current, in amperes, which is a coulomb(electrons)-second.
V = iR
Resistors pace the circuit; they are weighing-ins, but the current runs through.There
are also capacitors which might store current for some time. The unit is the farad,
which is a coulomb per volt.
Voltage, then, equals current (in amperes) multiplied by resistance (in ohms). A coulomb
has so many electrons,(6.24 x 10^18 electrons, for a negative charge Coulomb)) and an
ampere is an available coulomb every second. Voltage is the derived notion of potential
difference between points on a wire.
So what about my hairdryer!?
p = Vi
The power made available to appliances is in watts, which are joules per second. A
joule, it will be remembered, is a unit of work or energy:(It is a newton-meter). The
more watts, the more work performed per unit of time. It is a measure of dissipation
of energy with respect to the circuit.
In point of fact, a hairdryer would not run on a direct circuit. A small light bulb would:
alternative current to come. Small hint: there is a transformer involved, which uses the
magnetic force around a coiled wire to transfer current to another coil.
source: Khan Academy, with back-up readings from Wikipedia.
* * *
In a direct circuit created by a battery, electrons are actually flowing from the negative pole
to the positive; but charge is still considered to move from positive to negative. (There are
circuits were it is a positive charge that moves).
The math works out the same, because electricity is a field concept, and voltage refers to
potential difference.
http://www.physics4kids.com/files/elec_intro.html
Tuesday, June 27, 2017
C Lingo
The nice side-effect of my recent concern with Indo European languages is
an insight into how abusive (read misleading) referring to computer instructions
as 'languages' is. This particular ontology gives rise to befuddlement for the novice, and
tortured discussions about sub-categories of languages and how they relate to
each other for the pros.
To wit: a compiler is not a thing; it is a program, short for compiler program, whose aim
is to go from source code to object code, thus to translate instructions for use
by the computer as a machine. By translate, I mean generate. Compilers ie compiler
programs are often written in the C language, which is a set of specifications or ways of doing
things. The Lua language used in Roblox computer games is 'written in Ansi C', which is the
agreed upon version of C by an American Standards Association. So that when one writes
instructions for a game with Lua conventions, the computer does things according to C
conventions: this is what 'interpretation' is. More often than not, the computer will need to
generate a separate executable file of the script one has devised (with reference to a library,
and as a distinct time-consuming step in the process). This is compilation. Compiling one's
program amounts to a test run. Compilers are not meant to be maintained by humans.
A language particular to a specific machine and its architecture is an assembler (language).
Most compilers are portable.
Stacks, by their very nature, have a physical aspect within a computer. The call stack
keeps track of the instructions the computer needs to return control to the main process
when it has finished a subroutine. Like the word suggest, it's a last-in first out pile of
instructions.
Lua was primarily developed to expand on something already working or to program an
embedded device. By this is meant a computerized aspect to a large machine, like a car. A smart
watch is also one. As a consequence, it is lean on writing conventions and punctuation when
compared to other high-level languages. And should be easy enough to master.
an insight into how abusive (read misleading) referring to computer instructions
as 'languages' is. This particular ontology gives rise to befuddlement for the novice, and
tortured discussions about sub-categories of languages and how they relate to
each other for the pros.
To wit: a compiler is not a thing; it is a program, short for compiler program, whose aim
is to go from source code to object code, thus to translate instructions for use
by the computer as a machine. By translate, I mean generate. Compilers ie compiler
programs are often written in the C language, which is a set of specifications or ways of doing
things. The Lua language used in Roblox computer games is 'written in Ansi C', which is the
agreed upon version of C by an American Standards Association. So that when one writes
instructions for a game with Lua conventions, the computer does things according to C
conventions: this is what 'interpretation' is. More often than not, the computer will need to
generate a separate executable file of the script one has devised (with reference to a library,
and as a distinct time-consuming step in the process). This is compilation. Compiling one's
program amounts to a test run. Compilers are not meant to be maintained by humans.
A language particular to a specific machine and its architecture is an assembler (language).
Most compilers are portable.
Stacks, by their very nature, have a physical aspect within a computer. The call stack
keeps track of the instructions the computer needs to return control to the main process
when it has finished a subroutine. Like the word suggest, it's a last-in first out pile of
instructions.
Lua was primarily developed to expand on something already working or to program an
embedded device. By this is meant a computerized aspect to a large machine, like a car. A smart
watch is also one. As a consequence, it is lean on writing conventions and punctuation when
compared to other high-level languages. And should be easy enough to master.
Monday, June 26, 2017
GFluid
So yesterday I found myself arguing to my daughter that LGBT had too
many categories and things going on at the same time. Her view was that
everyone is currently gender fluid anyway, so what's the problem. And that is
the core of it, what IS the problem.
Below, a photo from the recent Comme des garçons show, Menswear, Spring 2018.
Yes, the look is gender fluid. And yes, a little attention and one sees the person is a dude,
nonetheless. Which is not always that easy a call, because there are men and women of
all sizes and morphologies these days.
Gender fluidity is an aesthetic, but it is also quite conservative. I do not need to reveal my
gender on the street, I can walk through as a young person and not get harassed. My
friends know what there is to know, I reveal myself on my own terms.
The Gay Pride movement refers to struggles of quite a different era. On the front lines, openly
homosexual men, or men at great pains to hide homosexuality from family, friends and the
workplace. And ongoing concerns about 'coming out'. Because deep down one knows.
I remember when these were vital issues; young people today might not.
What is the talk these days in political terms: it is about presenting, the right for all to
present the gender identity they aspire to. Very different from the gender fluidity movement,
but perhaps confused with it for some.
Politicians currently make it to the Gay Pride parade every year. I can't say I
am totally comfortable with it, because it is a bit of a costume occasion. Let's get over it.
And concentrate on political issues when there are some.
many categories and things going on at the same time. Her view was that
everyone is currently gender fluid anyway, so what's the problem. And that is
the core of it, what IS the problem.
Below, a photo from the recent Comme des garçons show, Menswear, Spring 2018.
Yes, the look is gender fluid. And yes, a little attention and one sees the person is a dude,
nonetheless. Which is not always that easy a call, because there are men and women of
all sizes and morphologies these days.
Gender fluidity is an aesthetic, but it is also quite conservative. I do not need to reveal my
gender on the street, I can walk through as a young person and not get harassed. My
friends know what there is to know, I reveal myself on my own terms.
The Gay Pride movement refers to struggles of quite a different era. On the front lines, openly
homosexual men, or men at great pains to hide homosexuality from family, friends and the
workplace. And ongoing concerns about 'coming out'. Because deep down one knows.
I remember when these were vital issues; young people today might not.
What is the talk these days in political terms: it is about presenting, the right for all to
present the gender identity they aspire to. Very different from the gender fluidity movement,
but perhaps confused with it for some.
Politicians currently make it to the Gay Pride parade every year. I can't say I
am totally comfortable with it, because it is a bit of a costume occasion. Let's get over it.
And concentrate on political issues when there are some.
Friday, June 23, 2017
GlastonB
Five hours ahead in terms of time, Glastonbury UK is hosting its Music Festival
just as Montebello rocks here in Quebec.
The opening 'facemelter' from last night:
https://soundcloud.com/dkmntl/dkmntl047-esa-aweh-ep
source: The Guardian (covering the Festival LIVE)
just as Montebello rocks here in Quebec.
The opening 'facemelter' from last night:
https://soundcloud.com/dkmntl/dkmntl047-esa-aweh-ep
source: The Guardian (covering the Festival LIVE)
Thursday, June 22, 2017
Party Time
One of us is going to the Montebello Rockfest. Which should be a lot of fun. YessssMam!
Cindy will not reach Quebec, some of the Gulf moisture associated with it will merge
with a system from Western Canada. Long story short, lots of rain.
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